# A novel mouse model for SARS-CoV-2 infection and therapeutics screening

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2020 · $525,989

## Abstract

Summary
Animal models of COVID-19 will play a critical role in developing and testing novel vaccines and therapies for
this disease, but a very limited number of models are currently available, and they suffer from substantial
limitations. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses human ACE2 to bind to cells, and the host TMPRSS2 protease to
prime the viral spike proteins for entry. Three mouse strains expressing human ACE2 as a transgene exist—
only one of which is being prepared for distribution in the US and is in high demand under the current
circumstance. Furthermore, concerns exist about aberrant expression of human ACE2 in these mice, given the
lack of normal regulatory elements, and none of the ACE2 transgenic strains express the human TMPRSS2
protease, thus cannot be used to assess therapeutic strategies that target the protease. We propose to
employ a novel and rapid gene replacement strategy that we have pioneered, to generate ACE2 and
TMPRSS2 gene replacement mice. Our BSL3 experienced team will infect these mice with SARS-CoV-2 in
order to determine if they display the expected viral replication, interstitial pneumonia, inflammatory cytokine
storm, and antibody responses that characterize human COVID-19 disease. Importantly, these mice will be
immediately sent to our partners at Jackson Labs (JAX) for rapid expansion and world-wide distribution.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10143823
- **Project number:** 3R01AI145147-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHEN C JAMESON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $525,989
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-06-02 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10143823

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10143823, A novel mouse model for SARS-CoV-2 infection and therapeutics screening (3R01AI145147-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10143823. Licensed CC0.

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