New drug development underway for COVID-19 prevention

Shanghai experts teamed with scientists from Tianjin and Wuhan have found a new weapon against COVID-19.

It will be especially meaningful for children, the elderly and patients with low immunity.

The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is like a cauliflower-shape sphere. There are spikes covering the sphere, like keys detecting keyholes on human cells, enabling virus to enter cells for replication and cause sickness.

However, neutralizing antibody works like painting thick film on keys and then blocking the keyhole, inhibiting the virus entering cells.

The idea was developed during the outbreak of COVID-19 last year. Dr Sun Kun and Dr Huang Lisu from Shanghai’s Xinhua Hospital discussed how to use technology to protect vulnerable people, especially children, from infection. They paid attention to neutralizing antibodies.

By studying serum from recovered patients, they screened over 10,000 neutralizing antibody candidates and found the 10 best ones. Finally, they found P4A1-2A, a specific antibody for COVID-19 virus.

The follow-up preclinical trials have confirmed the effects of the antibody, and the phase-1 trial also showed good results.

“We hope people who can’t receive vaccination or fail to benefit from vaccination can be protected by the antibody,” said Dr Sun, president of Xinhua Hospital and one of the leading experts in the research.

The antibody has entered further clinical trials for new medicine development.

The research was published by world-leading journal Nature Communications.