Llama antibodies can neutralize COVID and help prevent infections, lab test finds

Llama antibodies could be a powerful force in preventing infections with contagious variants of COVID-19, a biomedical company has claimed.

Researchers at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology in Ghent, Belgium, found that antibodies extracted from a llama named Winter neutralized the virus, including its variants, in laboratory tests.

The treatment would complement vaccines by offering enhanced protection to people with weakened immune systems or by helping people hospitalized with the virus, the company said.

Llama’s antibodies, which are unusually small, are able to bind to a specific part of the virus’s spike protein, preventing it from infecting cells.

“Their small size… allows them to reach targets, to reach parts of the virus that are difficult to access with conventional antibodies,” said Xavier Saelens, head of the VIB-UGent group.

Dominique Tersago, chief medical officer, said laboratory studies have shown that the antibodies show “strong neutralizing activity” against the highly contagious Delta variant, leading to an increase in cases around the world.

Researchers launched clinical trials last week to study antibodies with healthy volunteers and hospital patients and expect the study to show similar results.

The development of the treatment comes after studies in 2016 showed llama’s antibodies to be effective against the SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

With post wires