In Beijing, Scientists have identified a pair of neutralizing antibodies from a patient who was recovered from the COVID-19. Reportedly, the pair of antibodies may help to design molecular antivirals and even to prepare a vaccine for the novel coronavirus disease.
According to the researchers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the antibodies might bind to the glycoprotein spike of the novel coronavirus that would then block the spike’s ability to bind to the human ACE2 receptor and therefore enter into human’s cells. The researchers have confirmed that the preliminary tests of the two antibodies – B38 and H4 – was carried out in a housed model. The result of the test showed a reduction of virus titers.
As per the report published in the Science Journal, the finding of the antibodies may also help in providing therapeutic benefits along with helping to design molecular antivirals and the COVID-19 vaccine. Researcher Yan Wu of the Capital Medical University believes that the antibodies can simultaneously bind two receptors on the spike’s receptor-binding domain.
Helpful to prepare COVID-19 vaccine
Because of this bonding, the two antibodies together can neutralize the effect of the novel coronavirus. Either one of the antibodies would not generate the effect of the two combined. The team confirmed that the antibody is likely to bind the subset of the amino acids that are bound by ACE2. This is on the assumption of imagining the structure of the viral spike’s RBD bound to B38. This is the reason, as per the researchers, why the B38 provides a high neutralizing effect on the virus.
The researchers from across the institutions are of the view that a cocktail of the two antibodies would provide the much needed therapeutic benefits to the COVID-19 patients and will aid the fight against COVID-19. This will also help the scientists and medical researchers across the world to build a molecular antiviral to the disease and also to those who are on the path of finding a vaccine for the deadly disease that originated in the city of Wuhan. The virus has so far infected 4,445,572 people and caused 298,439 deaths. 1,669,184 people have been recovered.
Source: The Times of India
