Scientists in the Netherlands have created an antibody that defeats coronavirus in lab.
This is an early but promising step in efforts to curb the coronavirus.
The experimental antibody has neutralized the virus in cell cultures in a fully human version.
Chunyan Wang, et al. Nature Communication, 11:2251, 2020.
An antibody is a protein produced by the immune system.
This man-made antibody mimics the body’s natural antibody in response to the coronavirus.
This antibody inactivates the coronavirus by binding exactly one site on it.
Don’t confuse an antibody therapy with an antibody test.
An antibody test looks for an antibody in the blood.
The antibody test isn’t checking for the coronavirus itself.
Instead, an antibody test looks to see whether your immune system has responded to the infection.
An antibody therapy is to help the immune system by increasing the antibody.
The antibody therapy has shown promise against coronavirus.
A person who has recently recovered from coronavirus can donate blood to a patient, and help the patient’s temporary immunity by increasing the antibody in the patient’s blood.
The coronavirus antibody may become a powerful weapon in defeating coronavirus.
