UNC, Duke Scientists Identify New Antibody To Fight COVID-19 and Its Variants

New research between scientists at UNC and Duke has identified and tested an antibody that prevents severe infection from a variety of coronaviruses, including those that cause COVID-19.

The antibody was identified by a team at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and tested in animal models at UNC. Researchers published their findings November 2 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

“This antibody has the potential to be a therapeutic for the current epidemic,” said co-senior author Dr. Barton Haynes, the director of Duke’s vaccine institute. “It could also be available for future outbreaks, if or when other coronaviruses jump from their natural animal hosts to humans.”

The antibody discovered to fight coronavirus infections was found by analyzing blood from a patient who had been infected with the original SARS-CoV-1 virus and from a current COVID-19 patient.

From these two patients, researchers identified more than 1,700 antibodies which the immune system produces to block the pathogen – in this case coronaviruses – from infecting cells. Of these antibodies, they focused on those that targeted sites on the virus that remain unchanged even after mutations like the delta variant.

Duke researchers found 50 antibodies that had the ability to bind to both the SARS-CoV-1 virus as well as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. One antibody was even proven to be able to bind to a multitude of animal coronaviruses in addition to the two human-infecting pathogens.

With the most versatile antibody isolated, the Duke team turned to researchers at UNC to test the antibody in mice to determine whether it could effectively block or minimize infections.

They found that it did both. When given before the animals were infected, the antibody protected mice against developing SARS, COVID-19, its variants, as well as many animal coronaviruses that have the potential to cause human pandemics.

“The findings provide a template for the rational design of universal vaccine strategies that are variant-proof and provide broad protection from known and emerging coronaviruses,” said Dr. Ralph Baric, co-author of the study and leader of UNC’s research team.

According to a UNC press release, when given after infections, the antibody reduced severe lung symptoms in comparison with animals that were not treated with the antibody.

Researchers said this treatment could be used in the current pandemic and also stockpiled to prevent the spread of future outbreaks stemming from a SARS-related virus.

This study was funded in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the State of North Carolina with federal CARES Act funds, the National Cancer Institute, and the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at UNC and Duke University with funding from the North Carolina General Assembly.

Lead photo via UNC Health.

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UNC, Duke Scientists Identify New Antibody To Fight COVID-19 and Its Variants

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