[ad_1]
A team of scientists discovered an antibody that prevents the new coronavirus from infecting human cells, which could lead to the development of new drugs.
Based on existing research on the SARS coronavirus, scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Erasmus Medical Center and Harbor BioMed (HBM) have identified a potential method of neutralizing COVID-19.
According to media reports, they discovered that an antibody that prevents the SARS virus from entering human sites can also block the new coronavirus. Their research was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
They tested a collection of antibodies on cultured human cells and found one that binds to a part of the virus found in both SARS and SARS-CoV-2.
This finding could offer a first step towards the development of a complete antibody medication to treat or prevent the development of COVID-19 disease.
The neutralizing antibody has the potential to stop the flow of infection in an infected person, help cleanse the virus, or protect an uninfected person who is exposed to the virus, explains Dr. Berend Jan Bosch, co-author of the aforementioned research.
The antibody used in this study is fully human, allowing drug development to continue rapidly and reducing potential side effects associated with immunity, says Dr. Frank Grosveld, also a co-author of the study.
