The promising antibody ADG-2 has developed a group of specialists from several US research institutions, non-profit organizations and two biotechnological firms. The results of their work scientists have published in the reviewed journal Science American Association for the Development of Science (AAAS).
Despite the impressive achievements in creating vaccines forming immunity to Coronavirus SARS-COV-2, the COVID-19 causative agent, their long-term effectiveness is still questionable. Not so much due to the shortcomings of the drugs themselves, as much as the ability of viruses very quickly mutate. Moreover, the majority of already approved and only undergoing vaccine tests are used as the target of the same part of the virion.
We are talking about special structures on the shell of the viral capsid, which are responsible for attaching to the infected cell - Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). These areas are subject to constant mutations and can vary greatly between strains of even one virus, not to mention related species. Therefore, American researchers focused their efforts on creating antibodies that may be more versatile.
Such agents are called broad spectrum antibodies (Broadly Neutralizing antibodies, Bnabs) and can be the basis of universal vaccines capable of protecting immediately from a whole family of viruses. And by long experiments, it was possible to create several candidates: ADG-1, ADG-2 and ADG-3. As a result of the selection, the connection with the ADG-2 code was the most effective.
Its ability to attack to coronavirus checked on the culture of mouse cells, and it is impressive. ADG-2 effectively connects to more than three dozen variations of the ill-fated SARS-COV-2, which is now terrorizing humanity. Scientists have experienced a promising body on virions of various strains, in which RBD is significantly different. What is most interesting, ADG-2 showed a high ability to attach to various "relatives" of the cavities of COVID-19 - Sarbecovirus subfamily viruses.
Source: Naked Science