 The Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, also known as Kraken, has become the most dominant strain of COVID-19 globally, while another variant called Orthrus CH.1.1 has been found to carry a mutation, L452R, which could lead to increased severity and transmission. To better understand the global spread of these two strains, researchers combined genomic data with structural molecular modeling. They discovered that Orthrus shares many similarities with other Omicron-like strains, but it also differs from them in several key ways. Additionally, they found that Orthrus has a weakened interaction with the ACE2 protein, which could explain why it is more transmissible than other strains. Furthermore, their phylogenetic analysis showed that Orthrus had been circulating in Europe before it was detected, indicating the need for constant monitoring of emerging strains. This article was authored by Liliana Bazzani, Elena Imperia, Fabio Scarpa, and others.