Many now believe the new coronavirus was not started in a Chinese wet market but instead escaped from a virus-testing lab in Wuhan, China.
A rogue virus that turns up near where scientists engineer viruses? Go figure.
Now there’s a new way to treat the coronavirus: manufactured monoclonal antibodies.
So, a manufactured antibody to fight a manufactured virus? Um…maybe?
After a person gets a virus, the body eventually figures out how to fight it with antibodies that recognize it and work to keep it from spreading.
Scientists have figured out how to make copies of antibodies like these, growing them in bioreactor vats.
These monoclonal antibodies, if made in exactly the right way, could help treat people with COVID-19.
Monoclonal antibodies are considered safe but can be very expensive. When used for cancer, they can cost over $100,000 a year.
Many drug manufacturers are trying to figure out how to do this for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19). They must smell the money.
Researchers are still unsure how much of the drug will be needed to be effective.
Vaccines are different; they activate the body’s own immune system and could provide longer lasting protection against a virus.
But the antibodies could provide temporary protection while the nation waits for an effective vaccine.
Results from treatment with monoclonal antibodies won’t last forever.
The advantage of monoclonal antibodies is that they can prevent infection temporarily for persons at high risk of getting the disease, like medical workers and the elderly.
Phil Pang, chief medical officer of Vir Biotechnology, notes:
“In a prophylactic setting we think we may achieve coverage for up to six months.”
Vir and partner GSK plan to begin testing an antibody drug next month. Eli Lilly and Sorrento Therapeutics each have single-antibody drug candidates as well.
Said Senior Vice President of Sorrento Therapeutics Mark Brunswick:
“The advantage of an antibody is that it is basically instant immunity.”
Several companies are trying a cocktail of two different types of antibodies together to fight off the virus.
A two-antibody drug from Regeneron is in trials, and results are expected later this summer or in the fall. AstraZeneca is set to begin human trials of a two-antibody drug within weeks.
Regeneron has a $450 million supply contract from the U.S. government and can start production right away if the drug is approved.
Drug companies Eli Lilly and Co, AstraZeneca, Amgen, and GlaxoSmithKline have agreed to help with additional manufacturing of any of these types of drugs if needed.
These antibodies tend to target the spikes each virus unit uses to enter a cell.
Because the coronavirus could become resistant to this type of antibody, researchers also are working on a second generation of drugs that will target some other part of the virus.
Amgen research chief David Reese notes that such second-generation drugs would likely be used along with any monoclonal antibody drugs already developed.
Amgen has partnered with Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp. to manufacture an antibody-based drug.
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Disclaimer: This video does not provide medical advice. Do not take action based solely on this video and always consult with an appropriate healthcare professional. This video is purely for informational purposes.
