Ensitrelvir (code name S-217622, brand name Xocova), is a new inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 major protease (Mpro), also known as 3C-like protease, has been shown to reduce the viral load and help alleviate the severity of SARS-CoV-2 in infected hamsters. In cells, low nanomolar to sub-micromolar doses of Ensitrelvir suppress viral growth.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that spreads COVID-19, caused a pandemic that killed more than five million people worldwide. Several variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged during the pandemic, drawing attention to how new mutations impact virus replication, infectivity, transmission, and immunity.
"Saturday Night Live" mocked President Biden in its first show of the new year for his handling of the surge of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.