Newly Discovered Antibodies Can Neutralize All Known Variants of COVID-19
Study finds antibodies with potential to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks
Published in the peer-reviewed Science Advances journal Thursday, the study describes how a team of researchers was able to isolate potent neutralizing antibodies from a recovered SARS patient, who was vaccinated against COVID-19, that “exhibited remarkable breadth” against known sarbecoviruses, or respiratory viruses, like SARS and COVID-19.
International Collaboration
The international team was led by Duke-NUS Medical School and involved scientists from the National University of Singapore, the University of Melbourne in Australia, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the United States.
Combination of Infection and Vaccination
By isolating antibodies from the COVID-19-vaccinated SARS survivor, the researchers found that the combination of prior coronavirus infection and vaccination generated an “extremely broad and powerful” antibody response — capable of stopping nearly all related coronaviruses tested.
- The team obtained six antibodies that could neutralize multiple coronaviruses, including COVID-19, its variants Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron, the original SARS virus, along with multiple other animal coronaviruses transmitted from bats and pangolins.
- Three antibodies stood out as “exceptionally broad and potent,” capable of neutralizing all tested SARS-related viruses “at very low concentrations.”
- The most powerful antibody, named E7, was able to neutralize both SARS and COVID-19, animal sarbecoviruses, as well as new COVID-19 variants, such as Omicron XBB.1.16.
Potential for Universal Coronavirus Vaccine
The study’s findings provide a foundation for designing vaccines and drugs that work against COVID-19 variants and future coronavirus threats. The researchers plan to further assess the E7 antibody’s potential against existing and future coronaviruses.
Conclusion
This collaborative effort expands our capability in protecting against coronavirus threats that currently threaten human health, as well as new viruses that may emerge in the future. It underscores the pivotal role basic science research plays in advancing knowledge, with the goal of discovering new approaches to transform medicine and improve lives.
