Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $196,250 to the University of California, Irvine for a two-year Project Grant (CFDA 93.855 – Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) commencing July 1, 2026 and concluding June 30, 2028. The project delivers a systematic, proof-of-concept research effort to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate rhenium(I) transition metal complexes as a novel class of coordinate covalent inhibitors targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro). This bioinorganic chemistry approach represents an alternative to conventional organic inhibitors and addresses a relevant infectious disease target.

The funded work encompasses two specific aims: (1) synthesis and screening of approximately 150 distinct rhenium carbonyl complexes featuring variable bidentate ligands to identify initial hit compounds demonstrating stability, amino acid reactivity, and protease inhibition activity; and (2) hit-to-lead development of the most promising candidates through iterative design-synthesize-test cycles to establish structure-activity relationships and identify at least one lead compound with an IC₅₀ value of 100 μM or better against 3CLpro. Upon completion, the deliverable is a validated lead compound demonstrating potency and selectivity suitable for further development in covalent protease inhibition.