The coronavirus pandemic that has been going on for the last four years is still a cause of concern for health experts. Due to the constant mutation in the virus, new variants have been emerging. Many of these variants are also proving to be a challenge for the immunity built up in the body by vaccines and natural infections. For example, people who have been vaccinated cannot be considered safe from the risk of infection. This is the reason why some researchers have been demanding that COVID-19 vaccines be given every year just like influenza.
Now soon the risks caused by new variants of corona can be reduced. A team of scientists has succeeded in creating universal COVID antibodies which can prove to be effective against new variants of corona coming in the future as well.
Scientists believe that if success is achieved in this direction, then these antibodies can provide us protection from all strains of SARS-CoV-2.
Scientists develop monoclonal antibodies
The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes the COVID-19 disease. It is constantly evolving. The current variants are found to easily evade the body's immune system and increase infection. To reduce these risks, the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, in collaboration with the University of Alabama (UAB) and Columbia University, has developed a new human monoclonal antibody which is considered effective against almost all variants of corona.
Experts have expressed hope that these antibodies can also work effectively against variants arising from mutations of corona in the future.
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Antibodies are part of the human immune system that identify and bind to foreign components such as viruses and bacteria and help destroy them. Similarly, human monoclonal antibodies are proteins made in the laboratory that stimulate the body to produce its antibodies, increasing the ability to fight diseases.
Existing antibodies have helped many COVID-19 patients, although scientists are now working towards knowing the effects of mixing two monoclonal antibodies which can be effective against all variants.
What do the researchers say?
Dr. Luis Martinez-Sobrido, a professor at Texas Biomed and one of the lead authors of the research, says, this antibody can also work effectively against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain, Omicron, and other variants of Corona. If it is combined with other antibodies, then we can also get protection against future variants of Corona.
This antibody designed by the name 1301B7 is a receptor-binding domain antibody, which means that it targets the spike protein of the virus which is considered to be mainly responsible for the infection.
Study on mixing two antibodies
Earlier in the year 2022, researchers had developed a monoclonal antibody. In the next study, an attempt was made to determine what happens when two antibodies are combined and how it affects the virus.
Dr. Martinez explains, now single antibody therapy is not going to work, so we may have to try something new similar to the therapy being developed for other diseases like Ebola and HIV. The reports of this new study are very promising, we hope that soon we will find an effective way against the new variants of Corona.
(PC: ISTOCK)
