As the world continues to struggle with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, researchers are busy searching for pharmaceuticals that can effectively counteract the pathogen. This causative agent, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), infects through engagement via its spike protein with the host cell, attaching to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The spike-ACE2 interaction has thus become a prime target of antiviral strategies.
