Llamas will save humanity: scientists have found a way to treat COVID-19 with animal blood

Scientists around the world are now desperate to find a treatment for Covid-19 or to develop a vaccine that would alleviate quarantine measures, including social distance. Scientists call the llama a likely candidate for the saviors of humanity from the coronavirus. Writes about this with the BBC.

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According to a study published in the scientific publication Cell, the key to defeating this disease can be found in the blood of these animals.

The scientific work says that the researchers were able to develop antibodies that can neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19. By blocking the spikes by which the virus enters the cell, antibodies can stop the spread of infection.

Tests on hamsters are currently being carried out, and if successful, this method can begin to be used in hospitals in about a year.

In 2016, Daniel Rapp, a graduate of the private American University of Notre Dame in Indiana, began researching antibodies in the blood of llamas. He wanted to study their effects on two other coronaviruses—SARS-CoV (which causes SARS) and MERS-CoV (which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome).

His main goal was to study the proteins produced by bacteria, fungi and other parasites, but neither he nor his colleagues at McLellan Lab could suggest that their study would be in demand right now.

In many ways, this was made possible thanks to a four-year experimental llama named Winter. In 2016, she was injected with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV coronary protein injections for six weeks.

On the subject: Promising discovery: a complex of hepatitis medications can block coronavirus

Scientists monitored antibodies produced in the body of the llama and selected those that could neutralize one or another virus. Winter herself, by the way, is still alive.

Members of the camelid family (which includes llamas, alpacas, and camels themselves) have a useful feature: when their immune system detects a “stranger,” the animal produces two types of antibodies. The first is very similar to human antibodies, and the other is much smaller particles, also called nanobodies (or heavy chain antibodies).

In a current study conducted jointly by the University of Texas at Austin, the National Institute of Health and the University of Ghent, Rapp and his colleagues created an antibody that can block the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 by binding to the spine-like proteins of its corona.

“The antibody attaches to the spike, preventing it from docking with the cell and preventing entry, thereby neutralizing the virus,” Rapp said. He added that this antibody is “of particular interest” because it can neutralize both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.

According to the researchers, in the future such antibodies can be used to treat Covid-19 patients by inhalation, as well as to treat infected sites.

The new method is supposed to be used exclusively as therapy: it is unlikely that he will be able to replace the vaccine, since it does not provide long-term protection.

“To protect a person from infection, he must be vaccinated a month or two before possible infection. With this therapy, you provide the person with protective antibodies directly, so that they are immune to infection immediately after the procedure. In addition, antibodies can be used to treat people who are already infected to improve the course of the disease,” said University of Texas professor Jason McLellan.

On the subject: Scientists first created an antibody that neutralizes coronavirus in human cells

Israeli scientists study

To develop antibodies capable of combating coronavirus, and succeeded in Israel, according to the Ministry of Defense. Research was conducted at the Israeli Institute for Biological Research.

It is reported that the developed antibodies are monoclonal (that is, they come from a clone of one cell), have no analogues and contain a minimum of potentially dangerous proteins.

They managed to test the development in laboratory conditions, and the produced antibodies successfully neutralized the particles of the new coronavirus, the ministry says. However, these antibodies also cannot replace the vaccine.

Based on them, it is now necessary to develop a cure for coronavirus. Of course, a series of clinical trials will be required for its certification, but scientists promise that in a pandemic, this process can be reduced to several months.

The document does not disclose other opening details.

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