Our Science

Broad-Spectrum Respiratory Virus Protection at the Point of Entry

NorthLinks Bio is developing broad-spectrum antiviral technologies designed to protect against respiratory viral infections at the point of entry. Our glycan-targeted platform aims to provide convenient, non-invasive protection against multiple respiratory viruses through host-directed antiviral mechanisms.

Unmet Need
Our Platform

A Significant Global Unmet Need 

Respiratory viruses remain a major global health burden despite vaccines and existing therapies.

Seasonal and emerging respiratory viruses continue to cause substantial illness, hospitalization, and death worldwide. In the United States alone, influenza, RSV, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses drive a major healthcare burden, causing millions of illnesses and significant morbidity and mortality each year. Existing therapies and vaccines are often underutilized and may provide incomplete or short-lived protection due to viral diversity and antiviral resistance, waning virus-specific immunity, and reduced effectiveness in older adults and immunocompromised individuals. Together, these challenges highlight the need for broad-spectrum approaches capable of protecting against multiple respiratory viruses simultaneously.

Young man wearing a mask, preventing respiratory illnesses
  • ~12.8B Estimated annual global upper respiratory infections

    Up to 12.8 Billion

    Upper respiratory infections occur globally every year

  • ~1B Global influenza infections annually

    ~1 Billion

    Global influenza infections annually

  • Severe influenza cases each which can lead to ~650,000 deaths per year

    3-5 Million

    Severe influenza cases each which can lead to 650,000 deaths per year

In the US, Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV together account for more than 1 million US hospitalizations and more than 80,000 deaths annually

Influenza alone is responsible for 9–51 million illnesses in the US each year, resulting in up to 710,000 hospitalizations and 53,000 deaths

NorthLinks Bio’s Glycan-Targeted Platform is based on engineered carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) designed to bind with high affinity to sialic acids present on the surface of respiratory epithelial cells and certain viral glycoproteins. The platform was developed using carbohydrate-binding domains derived from bacterial sialidases, including Streptococcus pneumoniae NanA, engineered into multivalent oligomeric proteins with substantially enhanced glycan-binding properties. By linking multiple CBMs in tandem and combining them with self-assembling oligomerization domains, NorthLinks Bio generates multivalent proteins with binding affinities enhanced from micromolar to low nanomolar range.

A 3D rendering of HEX17 - a multivalent sialic acid-binding protein

Our Platform

The Glycan-Targeted Platform

Key Advantages / Differentiators

  • High-affinity recognition of α(2,3)- and α(2,6)-linked Neu5Ac, ubiquitous glycans present throughout the human respiratory tract

  • Host-directed mechanism designed to reduce susceptibility to viral escape mutations and antiviral resistance

  • Potential to inhibit a broad range of respiratory pathogens that utilize sialic acid for host attachment and entry

  • Multivalent glycan binding may sterically hinder additional virus–host interactions beyond direct sialic acid recognition

  • Engineered protein platform designed for scalable manufacturing in E. coli

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