ACE68

ACE68 is a potent, orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), also known as 3C-like protease (3CLpro). Developed by Acellera, the compound was identified through advanced molecular dynamics simulations and computational drug design using the ACEMD engine. Unlike covalent inhibitors such as nirmatrelvir, ACE68 functions as a non-covalent inhibitor, binding to the active site of the Mpro enzyme to prevent the processing of viral polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab) into functional proteins required for viral replication. This mechanism effectively halts the viral life cycle. ACE68 has demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against various SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and has shown a favorable safety profile in preclinical studies. It is primarily being developed for the treatment of COVID-19.