Covalent Biosciences Incorporated

Covalent Biosciences, Inc. is a company that specializes in the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment of various diseases. They focus on the discovery and development of covalent drugs, which are designed to target specific disease-causing proteins. Covalent Biosciences aims to provide effective and personalized treatment options for patients in need.

The company focuses on catabody therapeautics. A catabody is a term used to describe a type of antibody that has been engineered to target and degrade specific proteins within cells. Unlike traditional antibodies that primarily function by binding to proteins and signaling the immune system to eliminate them, catabodies have the additional ability to break down the targeted proteins into smaller fragments. This unique feature makes catabodies a promising tool for therapeutic applications, particularly in the treatment of diseases caused by the accumulation of abnormal proteins.

The company is developing Cardizyme, a catabody that destroys transthyretin amyloid (misTTR). Amyloids are misfolded proteins that aggregate in harmful clumps and do not perform their original functions, and this amyloid is implicated in heart disease, spinal disorders, and other organ damage. It is one of the principal causes of death for supercentenarians, people who have lived longer than 110 years.

Covalent Biosciences is also developing Electrophilic vaccines. These are a type of vaccine that utilizes electrophilic compounds to enhance the immune response. These compounds, known as electrophiles, are capable of forming covalent bonds with proteins in the body. By attaching to proteins, electrophilic compounds can modify their structure and create new antigens that stimulate a stronger immune response. This approach has shown promise in the development of vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer. Electrophilic vaccines have the potential to improve vaccine efficacy and provide long-lasting protection.

They are currently developing HIV vaccine Abzentek. This HIV E-Vaccine is ready for human trials to be implemented by a spinout company of Covalent Biosciences. They are planning to translate  this into a commercial HIV vaccine that prevents cases of HIV infection worldwide. In combination with a available small molecule therapy against HIV, the E-vaccine could also provide a potential cure for HIV infected patients.