Solution-COVID-19

Problem:  

In December 2019, a new infectious respiratory disease (COVID-19) emerged (from virus called SARS-CoV-2), which has spread globally due to human-to-human transmission. COVID-19 is a global tragedy with millions of cases and thousands of death across the continents. Unfortunately, there is no known approved treatment yet!

Solution:

SARS-CoV-2 requires ACE-2 in human cell to gain entrance to human cells in order to cause disease (COVID-19). This means that SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface is a key determinant of SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility. If this interface is inhibited then it becomes possible to modulate the transmissibility of COVID-19 and also stop the virus replication. This strategy of developing an inhibitor against this interface as treatment for COVID-19 is the aim of this proposed project. 

Impact: With Solution-COVID-19, we are making use of abundant medicinal plant resources in Africa to develop cheap and affordable treatment to stop the spread of COVID-19, which is a global tragedy.

COVID-19 is spreading globally due to human-to-human transmission. Moreover, the responsible virus (SARS-CoV-2) is new and needs to be properly understood. It is a global tragedy with millions of cases and thousands of death across the continents. However, on 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a global public health emergency and a pandemic. Presently, as at 02 June 2020, WHO confirms total global cases of 6,057,853, death of 371,166 and in 216 countries. This is alarming and dreadful!

Currently, many countries are locked-down due to the spread of the disease, which has negatively affected socio-economic growth making it imperative to urgently develop a treatment therapy. Scientists are presently searching for treatment but countries with poor scientific development and high level of poverty like those in Africa are seriously lacking behind in the search.

Nature has blessed Africa with several species of plants that have disease-curing ability. The plants have played major role in traditional medicine that has boosted traditional health care services in African communities over time. The time can never be better than now to look in this direction to find cheap and affordable solution to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 requires ACE-2 in human cell to gain entrance in order to cause disease (COVID-19). This means that the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface is a key determinant of SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility. Without a successful SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interaction interface, it is impossible for the virus to enter the human cell and replicate to cause disease. Therefore, if this interface is inhibited then it becomes possible to modulate the transmissibility of COVID-19 as well as stop the virus replication.

Despite the fact that hydroxyl chloroquine has garnered a lot of attention, its effectiveness against COVID-19 is yet unproved. Currently, we have documented 40 plants from Africa with history of antiviral activity against HIV, influenza, and other SARS-CoVs but not SARS-CoV-2. We intend to develop medicinal plant extract as small molecule drug for treating COVID-19.

Solution-COVID-19 will make use of plant extract as source of small molecule that inhibits the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 formation. The small molecule (drug) will block the site on ACE-2 in human cell where SARS-CoV-2 gets primed to enter human body. Advantage of this strategy is that virus may less likely develop resistance to this strategy because the targeted sites (ACE-2) are encoded in the human system and not that of the virus.

Fortunately, my intitution (Redeemer’s University) in Nigeria is one of the World Bank centre of excellence for genomics of infectious diseases (ACEGID). ACEGID was the first in Africa to report the first African SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence from Nigeria COVID-19 case (https://virological.org/t/first-african-sars-cov-2-genome-sequence-from-nigerian-covid-19-case/421 Solution-COVID-19 will be executed with the required skills and current SARS-CoV-2 data by collaborating with ACEGID.

Currently, COVID-19 cases and deaths in on the rise in Africa. Ministries of health in Nigeria could not provide adequate treatment because there is none. Presently, our collaborators in ACEGID is doing community tracing to curtail the spread as most infected patients end up dying due to lack of treatment or therapy.

Poor infected patients in both urban and rural communities in Africa now turn to Herbalists and Spiritualists for solution. However, our interaction with the community traditional herbal health services showed that medicinal plants could be source of new drugs that can help African community and the world fight COVID-19

Our preliminary screening has shown that 40 out of the traditionally known antiviral plants may serve as sources of new drug that can help stop COVID-19 but we need to further evaluate them to develop them into drug tables.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic with little hope of survival for poor infected patients in less developed nations of the world. Developing affordable and sustainable therapy in consonance with SDG 3 might be the sustainable approach for the world. Therefore shifting our attention towards 40 natural plant products with novel antiviral history. The plants can be easily formulated into small molecule drug using simple chemical process route, which can serve as inhibitors for preventing the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cell. Merit of using plant is that, they are sources of cheap and affordable treatment for poor infected patients

Currently, researchers are applying lessons learned during previous SARS epidemic in 2002-2003 as guide for treating COVID-19.

1:   Screening existing antiviral drugs against COVID-19. A few like remdesivir proved promising, but many validations are required. Use of such drugs is expensive, which may not be sustainable in poor countries. Side effect associated with the use of these drugs is also a concern.

2:  Despite the fact that chloroquine (hydroxychloroquine) has garnered a lot of attention, the effectiveness against COVID-19 is yet unproved.

3: Combining existing antiviral drugs with other type of host-directed treatment has been considered but it dampens the immune system making patients susceptible to other infections. Again, the immune system may cause much damage to the lungs of COVID-19 patients as it fights the infection.

4:  Vaccination is good, however, creation of new vaccines can take years. The time is short to generate new vaccine stocks as the present outbreak demands instant solution.

Interestingly, Solution-COVID-19 employs the use of medicinal plant extracts as receptor-binding domain targeting ACE-2 receptor, thus blocking the binding of SARS-CoV-2 and preventing virus entry into human cells. The treatment is outstanding, cheap and sustainable. Merit of Solution-COVID-19 is that virus becomes less likely develop resistance because the targeted domain is encoded in human genome and not the virus. General assumption is that if the targeted human domain is central in coronavirus infections then Solution-COVID-19 could even lead to a broader therapeutic and solution for previous and unforeseen corona infections.

Preparation of the plant extract will make use of spectroscopy and chromatographic technologies. This will make use of different process and unit operations. Chromatographic technique will be employed for the isolation, identification and structural elucidation of the antiviral compounds in the plant extracts. They will be made into tablets using by wet granulation, dry granulation or direct compression.

The process for the biological assay or antiviral assay will make use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The PCR will be used to rapidly make millions to billions copies of a specific DNA sample, and amplifying very small sample of DNA to a large ones. It is a technology for exponential amplification of a fragment of DNA. It is used in processing DNA for sequencing, for detecting the presence or absence of a gene to help identify pathogens during infection, and when generating forensic DNA profiles from tiny samples of DNA.

Solution-COVID-19 makes use of this technology to study priming that takes place during the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface. This helps to study and understand the role of plant extracts and chemical isolate from the plant extracts during the inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface. The method will be carried out with little modification, which makes it better than previously known processes. It is universally used in basic biological research, biotechnology, clinical research, clinical diagnostics, and forensics. Even though other nucleic acid amplification technologies have been described, PCR remains by far the most widely used.

I have used and published some of the spectrophotometric, spectroscopy and chromatographic technology in my previous works (kindly see references below). Currently, our laboratories in Redeemer’s University is well equipped with the required equipment to execute the project. However, my colleague and collaborator in my Faculty at Redeemer’s University is the Director of the World Bank centre of excellence for genomics of infectious diseases (ACEGID). ACEGID was the first in Africa to report the first African SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence from Nigeria COVID-19 case using this technology (https://virological.org/t/first-african-sars-cov-2-genome-sequence-from-nigerian-covid-19-case/421

Some of the videos on this technology by our centre (ACEGID) in Redeemer’s University, Nigeria can be found in the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSu377YXYOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB6VNmfqLd0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYHNMW8OM7Y

Solution-COVID-19 will be executed with the required skills and current SARS-CoV-2 data by collaborating with ACEGID.

References

A. Adewuyi, R.B.N. Prasad, B.V.S.K. Rao and R.A. Oderinde (2010). Oil composition, mineral nutrient and fatty acid distribution in the lipid classes of underutilized oils of Trilepisium  madagascariense and Antiaris africana from Nigeria. Food Research International 43, 665–670.

A. Adewuyi,R.A. Oderinde, B.V.S.K. Rao and R.B.N. Prasad (2012). Chemical composition and molecular speciation of the triacylglycerol of the oils of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Lonchocarpus cyanescens. Natural Product Research, 26(20):1954-1956

Solution-COVID-19 makes use of herbal plant extract, which contains naturally occurring chemicals that have exhibited antiviral activity. In fact, most known pharmaceutical medicines were obtained from plants; e.g. morphine (pain medicine) was obtained from opium poppy plant while quinine (malaria medicine) was extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree. Until date, plant remains an essential source of new medicine for treating diseases.

Our unpublished preliminary studies of the selected 40 plants have shown that their extracts contains functional groups with heteroatoms possessing non-bonding electrons that can interact with the ACE-2 receptor and as a result can potentially block the site preventing the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface formation. Moreover, it has been previously documented that extracts from the plants showed potential antiviral activities against HIV, Influenza, etc but not SARS-CoV-2. The inhibitory effect they exhibited against these viruses is an indication that they can be used against SARS-CoV-2 to prevent the formation of the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface. Moreover, their ability to prevent the SARS-CoV-2/ACE-2 interface formation by probably blocking the site for the interface on ACE-2.  Herbal medicine is beneficial because:

• More affordable than conventional medicine
• Easier to obtain than prescription medicine
• Stabilizes hormones and metabolism
• Natural healing
• Strength in immune system
• Fewer and controllable side effect
• cost effective

Use of herbal medicine has proven to be cheaper and effective in providing solution to human health challenge. The process has developed into marketable products over time. Some of the internationally known herbal medicine companies are

1: Nature’s way (USA): https://www.naturesway.com/Lets-Grow-Together?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItuqa3-P36QIVdoBQBh2iUgaqEAAYASAAEgLi3PD_BwE

2:  Bioneeds (India):        http://www.bioneeds.in/

3: Gaia Herbs (USA): https://www.gaiaherbs.com/

4:  1Balance (India): https://www.1balance.com/

5:  Bionorica (Germany): https://www.bionorica.de/de.html

These companies started with evidence based findings from natural product plants before growing to the product development stage that meets market demand. The preliminary evidence for the proposed Solution-COVID-19 is established and only needs further evaluation to drive it to pilot scale as product to meet immediate need for treating COVID-19 and perhaps other related viral infections. In summary, there is an urgent need for the development of new drugs for COVID-19 and preparation for future SARS epidemics or pandemics.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic, which requires urgent solution. The current WHO global record as at 10th June 2020 is 7,145,539 cases, 408,025 death and all in 216 countries affected. Solution-COVID-19 will be serving a global need of a world population of 7.8 billion. Most especially in Africa, which has recorded 203,899 cases and 5,530 death as at 10th June 2020. Solution-COVID-19 will serve as a broad spectrum with the capacity of a long-term potency, which may be relevant for treating other SARS diseases. Solution-COVID-19 is indigenous with the capacity to help the poor people leaving in rural communities suffering from COVID-19 and perhaps other related viral infections. 

All the required equipment, facilities and expertise to execute this project successfully are available in our organization, Redeemer’s University. The proposed project will achieve the following:

First Year;

• Production of cheap and efficient protease inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 from locally sourced underutilized herbal plant materials. This will serve as an urgent means of combating the current COVID-19
• Empower African researchers to optimally utilize herbal medicine knowledge and tools towards control and elimination of viral infectious diseases, most especially the SARS related
• Development of research collaboration, which is interdisciplinary. This is expected to cut across economic, marketing, law, etc. This will help facilitate bring the product to market and also analysis of other social tools to assess social impact
• Enhance research capacity within West African region by building a critical mass of well-trained scientists
• Create a vibrant academic and research environment that that transcends national boundaries and ensures the conduct of relevant, responsive, ethical and high quality translational herbal medicine-based research on health in Africa
• Engage communities in prevention efforts, public health sponsored activities, and education

We intend to achieve this through my University, Redeemer’s University and collaboration with other researchers (Dr Ayoade Femi, Department of Biology, Redeemer’s University, Dr Otuechere Chiagoziem, Department of Biochemistry, Redeemer’s University, Prof Rehab N. Shamma, Department of Pharmacy, Cairo University) and research partners (World Bank centre of excellence for genomics of infectious diseases)

Next Five Years;

We will achieve this by collaboration and consistent partnership with research groups and companies

Limitations in the next year:

Financial barriers: This includes purchase of primers, chemical, reagents and equipment

This requires purchase of:

Primers - = $ 260

Probes between ($300 x 2) = $600

Sybr green Master Mix  ($600 x2) = $1,200

TaqmanMastermix ($ 900 x 2) = $1,800

Strip tubes/ caps ($300 x 2) = $600

Eppendorf tubes ($60 x 2) = $120

Pipette tips ($70 x 2 x 4) = $560

RNA later - $410

LC plates -  $450

Cryotubes - $400

Laboratory microscope to view tissue slides- $ 1, 800

Solvents = $ 455

Software: $ 1005

Analysis: $ 300

Limitations in the next five years:

Limitation here may include market barrier and economic logistics for the product.

First Year:

Research facility and space will be provided by Redeemer’s University to support the successful execution of the project. Other reagents and consumable listed above will hopefully be purchased from the financial support from Solve’s 2020 Global Challenges. Other support will be received from ACEGID, Redeemer’s University.

Five Years

Our team will collaborate with Department of economics, finance and marketing, Redeemer’s University to help get product to market and as well as assessment of all socio-economic logistics. Redeemer’s University will help in training other scientists in this region on the skill of herbal medicine to build critical mass of well-trained scientists.

1: Dr Adewuyi Adewale: Department of Chemical Sciences, Redeemer’s University

2: Dr Ayoade Femi: Department of Biology, Redeemer’s University

3: Dr Otuechere Chiagoziem: Department of Biochemistry, Redeemer’s University

4: Prof Rehab N. Shamma: Department of Pharmacy, Cairo University

5: Prof Matoke-Muhia Damaris: Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

Our team is made up of distinct scientist who are well experienced in the solution we intend to provide. Currently, the negative impact of COVID-19 in Africa and other nations is high and as scientists we are striving hard using our experience to tackle this challenge. Our focus is to find solution that the government of poor nations can afford and that will be readily available for the whole world. We work directly with the rural community in Africa.

Adewale Adewuyi:  An industrial chemist who is well experienced. He will be responsible for the plant collection and extraction of the plants to obtain the extracts. He will also be responsible for the isolation of the active compound in the extracts. He has worked extensively on plant natural products and bioactive properties and application of plant-sourced materials

Otuechere Chiagoziem: He is a biochemist who is well experienced in animal studies. He has wealth of experience in the area of solution proffered

Ayoade Femi:  He is a biologist who is seasoned in the proffered solution area. He is a trained genomics. He is well experienced in proteomics, virology and microbial studies

Matoke-Muhia Damaris: She is a molecular biology scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) who has worked extensively on the solution

Rehab N. Shamma: She is a Pharmacist and has worked extensively on drug discovery and formulation

All facilities required for successful execution of this are available at Redeemer's University, ACEGID and KEMRI. We have access to the facilities.

Currently Solution-COVID-19 has two partners:

1:  World Bank centre of excellence for genomics of infectious diseases (ACEGID)

2:  Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

ACEGID and KEMRI are two leading institutions in Africa championing the fight against COVID-19. In KEMRI, Dr Matoke-Muhia Damaris will be collaborating with Solution-COVID-19 on using kits for screening for SARS-CoV-2 and some biotechniques required. In ACEGID Dr Ayoade Femi will help with sequencing, viral activities and other analysis requiring tissue culture laboratory. 

The goal of the partners is to help develop a sustainable means to mitigate the current COVID-19 by providing and sharing expertise and tools to make this a success

Our model is built on scientific research and community development. Our team identifies health challenges and proffer solution by applying for grants to embark on research in order to address the problem.

So we build capacity by training young scientists and also create societal awareness as an educational tool.

We do this by providing short research fellowship, workshops as well as postgraduate training

We also use evidence base research to drive policy by advising local and national government

Our financial sustainability is built on:

1:  Partnership with industries

2:  Donation from Redeemer's University Alumni and family forum

3:  Grant application

4:  Selling product

We are applying to solve because:

1: There is urgent need to solve the current pandemic caused by COVID-19

2:  We believe Solve can help Solution-COVID-19 financially to make it a success

3:  We also stand the opportunity to access other funding if qualified

4:  We also believe that joining the MIT-backed network will broaden our idea with an opportunity to improve on our skills, which are relevant to MIT-backed network. This will help us scale up our solution in the continent of Africa and on a global scale

Our team needs support in the area of funding to drive our current effort in fighting COVID-19 to a logical conclusion. This we can achieve by getting funded to finish up with the solution proffered.

Our team is also currently working on technology transfer and marketing of the solution. By bringing it to market we believe we will help solve future SARS pandemic that may arise. Although we hope to come in partnership with the marketing Department at Redeemer's University but we strongly believe that MIT-backed network may offer us a global perspective.

Regional Partners

University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria : Training of Postgraduate students

Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT), Nigeria: Use of BSL 4 laboratory and access to research tools

Our team through our previous contribution to knowledge has demonstrated scientific and societal contributions with positive environmental impact. We are energetic, open minded, talent, and open hearts. We are result driven. We have the potential to expand our work with the possibility of societal impact to help humanity. We have a formidable transformative leadership, diverse identity with global view. The Elevate Price for Health Security will help us to advance the course of Solution-COVID-19. This will help us expand our network and coverage. We will be able to build our scientific capacity and market value. This will also help us to build capacity within the African region.

Our team is currently working on the solution to COVID-19 and how to stop its spread. This also covers preventing future occurrence of SARS related pandemic. We have the capacity and skill to make this happen in the continent of Africa and with a global perspective.

If granted the people’s prize we intend to:

1:  Build research capacity within our region in Africa

2:  Development of research collaboration, which is interdisciplinary

3:  Enhance research capacity within West African region by building a critical mass of well-trained scientists

4:  Create a vibrant academic and research environment that that transcends national boundaries and ensures the conduct of relevant, responsive, ethical and high quality translational herbal medicine-based research on health in Africa

5:  Engage communities in prevention efforts, public health sponsored activities, and education