New developments in medical technology have brought about significant advancement in the fight against COVID-19. According to a team of researchers, the identification of a new antibody shows effectiveness against all known variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have made a groundbreaking discovery with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Over the past four years since the discovery of COVID-19, the virus has evolved rapidly, resulting in variants with new and different characteristics. These variants are more resistant to vaccines and other treatments.
A research team led by The University of Texas at Austin conducted a study on hybrid immunity to the virus.
In this study, the team discovered and isolated a neutralizing plasma antibody called SC27 from a single patient.
The researchers obtained the exact molecular sequence of the antibody, opening the possibility of manufacturing it on a larger scale for future treatments.
SC27 has been found to neutralize all known variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as distantly related SARS-like coronaviruses that infect other animals.
The team’s technology, called Ig-Seq, provides a closer look at the antibody response to infection and vaccination using single-cell DNA sequencing and proteomics.
In addition to discovering this antibody, the research found that hybrid immunity, which combines both infection and vaccination, offers increased antibody-based protection against future exposure compared to infection or vaccination alone.
The team has filed a patent application for SC27.
New Advances in COVID-19 Vaccine Technology: In a significant advancement in the fight against COVID-19, researchers have identified a new antibody, SC27, that shows effectiveness against all known variants of SARS-CoV-2,… https://t.co/39U8wXcj4Z Visit https://t.co/d3046xxCA0 pic.twitter.com/SpJLnrzQ0j
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