A research team at Pusan National University, led by Research Professor So Young Yoo from the Institute of Nano-Bio Convergence, has developed a “good virus” therapy that can block and control infections caused by the human coronavirus OC43—a cousin of COVID-19 that spreads like a cold but can lead to pneumonia or even brain inflammation.

The team engineered a bacteriophage (a harmless virus that targets bacteria) to display special sugar-like molecules called sialic acids, which OC43 normally uses to enter human cells. By mimicking these entry points, the modified phage tricks the virus into attaching to it instead of healthy cells—stopping infection before it begins.

More than just a blocker, the therapy also helps the immune system recover. It shifts immune cells from an aggressive, inflammatory state to a healing mode, reducing harmful inflammation and boosting antioxidant defenses. In animal studies, the treatment increased survival, protected lung tissue, and showed no serious side effects—even when delivered through the nose or bloodstream.

The study, conducted in collaboration with Sungkyunkwan University, was published in the Journal of Controlled Release on September 10, 2025, and was supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT. 

The platform offers a promising strategy for future coronavirus outbreaks and other respiratory infections.

- Author (Pusan National University): So Young Yoo (Institute of Nanobio Convergence)

- Title of original paper: A multivalent 9-O-acetylated sialic acid-conjugated bacteriophage platform for antiviral and immunomodulatory therapy for human coronavirus OC43

- Journal: Jounral of Controlled Release

- Web link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2025.113996 

- Contact e-mail: yoosy2@gmail.com