This beast is called a lama

New antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are 1000 times more effective than all existing ones

Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+

The antibodies created on the basis of alpaca immune proteins are effective against alpha, beta, gamma and delta variants and in the case of new mutations they can be easily adapted to them, the authors of the development said. In addition, they have exceptional stability and heat resistance.

The antibodies developed by a group of German scientists have all the properties for a highly effective drug against COVID-19, according to a press release of Highly potent, stable nanobodies stop Sars-CoV-2. They are based on alpaca immune proteins and are directed against the receptor-binding domain required by SARS-CoV-2 to infect cells.

Article by Güttler et al. Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by highly potent, hyperthermostable, and mutation-tolerant nanobodies is published in the EMBO–VM journal.

"For the first time, antibodies combine exceptional stability and maximum effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants: alpha, beta, gamma and delta," said Dirk Gerlich, director of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry.

To get them, scientists injected alpacas with a part of the spike protein of the coronavirus and then extracted the antibodies produced in response to SARS-CoV-2. As a result, the active part of the molecule was isolated from them – a miniature fragment of an immune protein – the basis of new mini-antibodies.

Preclinical experiments have shown that they are 1000 times more effective than all previously created antibodies. Now the team intends to confirm this in clinical trials.

Antibodies have a unique heat resistance – up to 95 degrees Celsius without losing their properties. This means that they can stay active in the body longer. In addition, they will be easier to produce and store, scientists explain.

Due to its small size, the new antibodies can be used in inhalation preparations. Quickly penetrating into the tissues, they are able to prevent further spread of the virus in the first place of infection – the upper respiratory tract.

If clinical studies confirm the effectiveness of antibodies in humans, then the new approach can be quickly adapted for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

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