Potent Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Identified By Chinese Scientists Can Help To Develop New Drugs For COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic urgently needs therapeutic and prophylactic interventions. Recently, Chinese scientists X. Sunney Xie, Chuan Qin and others  report  the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies by high-throughput single-cell RNA and VDJ sequencing of antigen-enriched B cells from  convalescent patients. The neutralizing antibodies can effectively inhibit and short-term prevent the infection of new coronavirus , Bringing the dawn for human victory over the SARS-CoV-2.

Neutralizing antibodies are a soluble protein produced by the body's immune system. It can firmly bind to virus particles. Before the virus invades the cell, it destroys the virus particle, changes the function of the virus, and effectively prevents the virus from infecting the cell.

From 8,558 antigen-binding IgG1⁺ clonotypes, 14 potent neutralizing antibodies were identified with the most potent one, BD-368-2, exhibiting an IC50 of 1.2 ng/mL and 15 ng/mL against pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2, respectively. BD-368-2 also displayed strong therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy in SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2-transgenic mice.

The neutralizing antibody discovered by the research team is expected to become a powerful drug for the treatment of COVID-19, and at the same time play a role in short-term prevention. Currently, the research team of X. Sunney Xie and his collaborators are actively advancing clinical trials.