Scientists discover neutralizing antibodies in battle against COVID-19
An important line of defense in the fight against the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 may be forming neutralizing antibodies. These can eliminate the intruders and possess great potential for use for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 illness.
A group of investigators headed by Prof. Florian Klein (Cologne University Hospital) and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) have further elucidated these antibodies to develop. It has isolated potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. As well as Boehringer Ingelheim, the investigators are now characterizing and growing these Compounds farther. It’s expected that they will enter the stage of clinical development later this year. The results were published today (July 07, 2020) in the journal Mobile.
“Our goal was to understand the immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2 better and spot highly potent carcinogens that could be employed to prevent and treat COVID-19,” explained Prof. Klein, Director of the Institute of Medicine Virology at the Cologne University Hospital and Principal Investigator at the DZIF.
“We assume that such antibodies are effective for several weeks and could protect against COVID-19 during this period,” added Dr. Christoph Kreer, who ran the job with Dr. Matthias Zehner at Cologne. In close cooperation with scientists in Marburg, Frankfurt, Munich, Tübingen, and Israel, the researchers investigated the SARS-CoV-2 antibody answer in a dozen individuals regained from COVID-19.
They analyzed more than 4000 SARS-CoV-2-specific b-cells onto a single cell grade and partially decoded the humoral immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2. They rebuilt 255 antibodies in the laboratory that have been analyzed by Prof. Stephan Becker’s laboratory in Marburg due to his or her capacity to neutralize the publication coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Altogether, 28 neutralizing antibodies were found.
“Lately, many antibodies showed only a few mutations. This means that only modest changes were crucial to recognize and neutralize herpes,” says Dr. Zehner. In fact, in blood samples collected before the pandemic, the scientists also found B cells taking identical antibody faculties to those with SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. This may indicate that SARS-CoV-2 antibodies could be readily formed and that an energetic embryo might provide rapid protection. The antibodies are developed for protecting against and treating COVID-19.
Additionally, these antibodies could be used for post-exposure prophylaxis.