Front Cover: MPI8 is Potent against SARS‐CoV‐2 by Inhibiting Dually and Selectively the SARS‐CoV‐2 Main Protease and the Host Cathepsin L (ChemMedChem 1/2022)

The Front Cover shows that MPI8, a SARS‐CoV‐2 main protease inhibitor, dually inhibits human cathepsin L to prevent the SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA genome from leaving the endosome. MPI8 is a reversible covalent inhibitor of the SARS‐CoV‐2 main protease that displays high potency in inhibiting the virus in vitro. It also selectively inhibits human cathepsin L over other tested human cathepsins. Cover design by Dr. Xinyu Ma. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Xinyu R. Ma, Shiqing Xu, Wenshe Ray Liu et al.