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Scientists Have Created a Promising Antibody to Fight Covid-19
What does it mean for us and the future of the disease?
In an article published in Nature Communications on March 4th, scientists flashed rays of hope for a viable solution to fighting COVID-19. Under laboratory conditions, they were able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and SARS CoV (which was responsible for the SARS pandemic) by synthesizing a human antibody. According to their research, antibody 47D11 targets the receptor-binding domain of both viruses, effectively preventing the virus from infecting a host. This finding will help design antigen detection tests and also assist in performing serological examinations for the virus. It’s exciting news, but we can’t celebrate just yet — a lab environment isn’t the same as the real world and this discovery is not a treatment.
By discovering 47D11, these scientists have possibly changed the trajectory of this pandemic. Being able to neutralize a virus with an antibody has been shown to help fight infection in those already infected and could prevent infection for those previously unexposed to the virus. Neutralizing the virus helps scientists create inactive copies of the virus. Then, by introducing an inactive form of a virus, our bodies can build immunity before possible interaction with the virus. This method is used to help prevent…