SARS-CoV-2: Isolation of neutralising antibodies
Infectious disease experts conduct research for vaccine and drug development.
Alongside developing vaccines, scientists at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) are working at high speed to develop new drugs to improve the treatment of COVID-19 patients. A DZIF research group led by Prof. Florian Klein at the Institute of Virology of Cologne University Hospital is working on identifying and using antibodies to prevent and treat SARS-CoV-2 infections. The project is now obtaining special funding from the DZIF.
“Our aim is to find neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in blood samples obtained from patients who have recovered from COVID-19, and subsequently use these antibodies to develop a clinically effective drug,” explains Prof. Florian Klein. The DZIF team from Cologne has already been highly successful in using this method for other viruses such as Ebola and HIV-1. It is now applying its longstanding expertise to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
In order to find neutralising antibodies, the scientists investigate B cells obtained from blood samples of patients who have recovered from COVID-19. B cells, also called B lymphocytes, are responsible for developing and producing antibodies in the human body and therefore constitute an essential part of the human immune system.
From millions of different B cells in a blood sample, Florian Klein’s research team identifies individual B cells that are able to detect SARS-CoV-2. The research team subsequently decodes the genetic information of the antibodies and can use the information to produce those antibodies under laboratory conditions. All SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies are further investigated for their specific properties. The researchers aim to find antibodies that effectively target SARS-CoV-2 and are able to neutralise the virus.
“With this method, we are able to directly identify and investigate fully human SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies,” explains Florian Klein. “In addition, we gain information to more effectively develop active vaccines”. Following this DZIF-funded research, the scientists plan to evaluate a potent antibody candidate in the setting of a clinical trial.
