Chinese virologists have announced that they have found an inhalable humanized antibody capable of hitting two targets at the same time on the virus causing the COVID-19 epidemic.
The efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic antibodies has been limited by the continued emergence of viral variants and the restricted diffusion of antibodies from the circulation to sites of respiratory virus infections.
Fudan University researchers have identified two highly conserved regions on the Omicron variant receptor binding domain, implying that these parts are resistant to rapid variations that lead to immune escape, according to the study published Thursday in the Cell magazine.
These researchers then generated a single-domain bispecific antibody capable of binding “simultaneously and synergistically” to these two regions, according to the study.
They demonstrated that the antibody, in the form of a five-micrometer drop of liquid, can be efficiently delivered to the lungs by inhalation, and exhibits an extended neutralization width as well as remarkable therapeutic efficacy in models of SARS- CoV-2 in mice, the study noted.
In a mouse model with severe symptoms of COVID-19 and high viral titer in the lungs, they found that inhalation of bn03 almost completely eliminated live virus in the lungs and improved lung damage.
The antibody production technique is currently under development, and clinical trials are expected later.
