Scientists from Erasmus MC and Utrecht University claim the discovery of an antibody against Covid-19

[Gert van der Hoek]

Scientists from Erasmus MC and Utrecht University claim the discovery of an antibody against Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus: SARS-CoV-2.

The scientific publication of the group of ten scientists is ready for assessment by the leading journal Nature, reports Erasmus Magazine, which calls the discovery a world first.

Prevents infection
"The antibody prevents the virus from being able to infect and can also help in the detection of the virus," says professor of cell biology Frank Grosveld, one of the discoverers on behalf of Erasmus MC.

The article with findings from the scientists was already published on Thursday on a website called BioRxiv, on which biologists can publish their research and to which colleagues can respond.

The summary talks about an antibody to SARS2, the coronavirus that causes the current pandemic with COVID-19.

[Gert van der Hoek]

A human monoclonal 1 antibody blocking SARS-CoV-2 infection

Chunyan Wang, Wentao Li, Dubravka Drabek, Nisreen M.A. Okba, Rien van Haperen, Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus, Frank J.M. van Kuppeveld, Bart L. Haagmans, Frank Grosveld, Berend-Jan Bosch
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.11.987958

This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [what does this mean?]. Abstract

The emergence of the novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China has caused a worldwide epidemic of respiratory disease (COVID-19). Vaccines and targeted therapeutics for treatment of this disease are currently lacking. Here we report a human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 (and SARS-CoV). This cross-neutralizing antibody targets a communal epitope on these viruses and offers potential for prevention and treatment of COVID-19.