This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – isolated from a patient in the U.S. The protrusions visible on the outside are the spike proteins that the virus particles use to fuse with and gain entry to host cells. [Image courtesy of NIAID]
New findings from an international research team suggest that neutralizing antibodies could have a use as a preventative treatment or as a post-exposure therapy against COVID-19.
Their latest findings, which drew on data gathered from Berkeley National Laboratory’s (Berkeley Lab’s) Advanced Light Source (ALS) — suggest that antibodies derived from SARS survivors could potently block entry of SARS-CoV-2 and other closely related coronaviruses into host cells. The scientists, who recently published their work in Nature, noted that the most promising candidate antibody is already on an accelerated development path toward clinical trials.
“We are very excited to have found this potent neutralizing antibody that we hope will participate in ending the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the University of Washington’s David Veesler, who led the research team with Davide Corti at Vir Biotechnology.