Coronavirus: 'Breakthrough' study suggests engineered llama antibodies neutralise Covid-19

Antibodies derived from llamas have shown to be a "powerful diagnostic" in combatting coronavirus, said researchers in a new study.

Researchers hope the antibodies, known as nanobodies due to their small size, could eventually be developed as a treatment for patients with Covid-19.

The team of scientists from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxford University, Diamond Light Source and Public Health England, published their findings in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

They discovered that llamas, camels and alpacas produce antibodies with a simpler structure that can be engineered into tiny nanobodies.

Using advanced imaging with X-rays and electrons, the researchers found that the nanobodies bind tightly to the protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which essentially blocks Covid-19 from entering human cells and stops the infection.

Professor Ray Owens from Oxford University, who leads the nanobody program at the Franklin institute, said he was hopeful the "breakthrough" study could lead to pre-clinical trials.

“This research is a great example of team work in science, as we have created, analysed and tested the nanobodies in 12 weeks," said Professor Owens.

"This has seen the team carry out experiments in just a few days, which would typically take months to complete."

James Naismith, director of The Rosalind Franklin Institute and professor of structural biology at Oxford University, added that the nanobodies also have "potential as a powerful diagnostic".

He said: “These nanobodies have the potential to be used in a similar way to convalescent serum, effectively stopping progression of the virus in patients who are ill.

“We were able to combine one of the nanobodies with a human antibody and show the combination was even more powerful than either alone.

“Combinations are particularly useful since the virus has to change multiple things at the same time to escape – this is very hard for the virus to do."

Researchers started from a lab-based library of llama antibodies, and are now screening antibodies from Fifi, one of the ‘Franklin llamas’ based at the University of Reading, taken after she was immunised with harmless purified virus proteins.

The team is looking at preliminary results which show that Fifi’s immune system has produced different antibodies from those already identified, which will enable cocktails of nanobodies to be tested against the virus.

Professor Naismith said: “2020 marks the centenary of Franklin’s birth. As an institute named for a pioneer of biological imaging, we are proud to follow in her footsteps and continue her work in viruses, applied here to an unprecedented global pandemic.

"Franklin’s work transformed biology, and our projects aspire to that same transformational effect.”

The researchers explained that the process of passive immunisation has shown to significantly improve clinical outcomes of coronavirus patients.

It involves the transfusion of critically ill patients with serum from recovered patients who have antibodies against the virus.

According to the researchers behind the study, a lab-based product that could be made on demand would be more efficient in treating critically ill patients.

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