The Most Powerful Weapon to Fight Ramanano Body COVID | News, Sports, Work

Lama, who lives in Massachusetts, has helped researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine manufacture Nanobodies. This is the most powerful way to fight COVID-19 so far.Submitted photo

A special llama antibody called Nanobodies is the most effective way to combat COVID-19 so far.

On Thursday, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine hosted an online press conference, “Science” A magazine that describes a new method for extracting small but highly potent SARS-CoV-2 antibody fragments from llamas. It can be shaped into an inhalable remedy that has the potential to prevent and treat COVID-19. Nanobodies are much smaller than human antibodies and are many times more effective in neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It’s also much more stable.

“The most powerful ever to fight viruses” Dr. EC, an assistant professor of cell biology at Pitt, talked about the potential of ramanobody. “Nature is our best inventor. The technology we have developed explores SARS-CoV-2 neutralized Nanobodies on an unprecedented scale and thousands with unmatched affinity and specificity. It has made it possible to quickly discover Mono Nanobodies. “

Shi has worked with Dr. Paul Duprex, Vaccine Research Director’s Pit Center, to test antibodies in animal models.

“The results of these models are really promising.” Dupre said.

Shi was asked about the timeline at which Nanobodies could be produced as a possible treatment for COVID-19.

“We are doing our best to proceed to clinical trials.” Sea said.

Duprex added that potential treatments must go through a three-step trial and be proven to be safely delivered to potential patients before they are publicly available.

“It takes time” He said.

During a press conference, doctors were asked about the llamas used to produce Nanobodies.Shi is the name of the llama “Wally” And it lives in Massachusetts. He said the llama was named Wally because it resembles his black Labrador that goes by the same name. The llama was not hurt by the production of Nanobodies.

“Currently he is our best friend. Hopefully he will help us fight through COVID-19.” Sea said. “Wally is completely fine.”

Shi et al. Immunized llamas with a portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and about two months later, the animal’s immune system produced mature Nanobodies against the virus.

Using mass spectrometry-based technology that Shi has completed over the past three years, lead author Yufei Xiang, a research assistant in Shi’s lab, found that Wally’s blood, which binds most strongly to SARS-CoV-2, Identified Nanobody.

Then, with the help of Pitt’s Vaccine Research Center, scientists exposed Nanobodies to the live SARS-CoV-2 virus, with only a small portion of the nanogram virus sufficient to prevent infection of one million cells. I found that it can neutralize.

These Nanobodies represent some of the most effective therapeutic antibody candidates for SARS-CoV-2 and were discovered by the same phage display method that has been used for decades to search for human monoclonal antibodies. Hundreds to thousands of times more effective than other Ramananobodies.

Shi Nanobodies can be left at room temperature for 6 weeks, allowing them to form into inhalable mist, providing the most needed antiviral therapy directly to the lungs. Because SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus, Nanobodies can find and latch it in the respiratory system before damaging it.

In contrast, conventional SARS-CoV-2 antibodies require IV, which dilutes the product systemically, requiring much higher doses, and patients and insurance companies cost about $ 100,000 per course of treatment. It costs.

“Nanobodies can potentially be much cheaper.” The city said. “They are ideal for dealing with the urgency and scale of the current crisis.”

The team, in collaboration with Dr. Cheng Zhang of Pitt and Dr. Dina Schneidman-Duhovny of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, discovered that Nanobodies use a variety of mechanisms to block SARS-CoV-2 infection. This makes Nanobodies suitable for bioengineering. For example, Nanobodies that bind to different regions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be linked together like a Swiss Army knife in case part of the virus mutates and becomes drug resistant.

“As a virologist, it’s incredible to see how taking advantage of the eccentricity of llama antibody production can translate into the creation of powerful nanoweapons for clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2. “ Dupre said.

Additional authors for this study include Dr. Siam Namburi, Dr. Chung Yun, Dr. Heng Liu, and Jae Sang, all of Pitt.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences, the Pit Vaccine Research Center, and the DSF Charitable Foundation.