|
 The scientists, from Belgium's VIB-UGent center for medical
biotechnology and the University of Texas at Austin, published
research on Tuesday in the journal Cell, with the llama in Belgium
central to their studies.
The group began four years ago looking into antibodies that might
counter the SARS virus, which spread in 2003, and the MERS virus
that flared up in 2012.
"The work was a side project in 2016. We thought maybe this was
interesting," said Xavier Saelens, joint leader of the Belgian part
of the collaboration. "Then the new virus came and it became
potentially more crucial, more important."
Winter, the llama, was given safe versions of the SARS and MERS
viruses and samples of its blood were later taken.
Llamas and other members of camel family are distinct in creating
standard antibodies and smaller antibodies, with which scientists
can more easily work.
The Belgian part of the research team, also led by Bert Schepens,
identified fragments of the smaller antibodies, known as nanobodies,
to see which bound most strongly to the virus.
[to top of second column] |
Saelens describes the new coronavirus as the cousin of the SARS virus. Both have
a corona, or crown, shape with protein spikes, onto which an antibody can latch.
The team intend to begin tests on animals, with a view to allowing trials with
humans to begin by the end of the year. Saelens said negotiations were under way
with pharmaceutical companies.
The research is not the first into nanobodies derived from camels or llamas.
French group Sanofi paid 3.9 billion euros ($4.23 billion) in 2018 to buy
Ghent-based nanobody specialist
company Ablynx.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
