Portland News

Lab-Grown‌ ‌Shows‌ ‌Promising‌ ‌Results‌ ‌That‌ ‌Can‌ ‌Cure‌ COVID-19‌ ‌

The world is still searching on the cure against the COVID-19, which has brought turmoil to us. The organizations and government are spending their resources to find the cure and improve. The body’s most potent disease-fighting weapons in a test tube and deploy them. However hoping these tests will help to eradicate the deadly virus.

Progressive countries around the world are working together in seeking a potential cure for the deadly virus. The treatment is known as monoclonal antibody therapy and the treatment can be both a remedy for patients. Infect and frontline health workers and other people at high risk in coronavirus. As for observation, monoclonal antibodies are proven effective that combats against ailments including cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. A new treatment against Ebola is under review at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Moreover, at least six companies are set to do their clinical trial and will conduct the testing antibodies on COVID-19. Patients these coming months. 

Antibodies are really important in our immune system. Hospitals around the globe resort to antibodies merely due to its advantages over conventional drugs that put them near the front of the pack of latest therapies under development against COVID-19. Hospitals are utilizing antibody therapies undergoing clinical trials for COVID-19 patients.

“The whole process, from getting a blood sample to having antibodies ready for the clinic, was about three months,” said antibody sciences director Laura Walker at biotech company Adimab.

According to Walker, safety testing is just beginning and antibody treatment is generally fairly safe.

“Everybody makes antibodies naturally, the odds that a monoclonal antibody will be effective is quite high,” she added. 

COVID-19 Vaccine

Moreover, vaccines manifest the same response. But since there is no vaccine for COVID-19, “we’re skipping the vaccination step and we’re directly making these antibodies,” said Joe Jardine at IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization.

The antibodies that are collects came from people who have recover from COVID-19 infection. This can be ready by collecting enough plasma to treat large numbers of patients is labor-intensive, and plasma must be screen for other diseases the donor may be carrying. And consequently, the blood is full of them, which is why doctors are testing whether giving COVID-19 patients convalescent plasma — the liquid part of the blood from recovered people — could treat or prevent infection.

The antibodies are contained in the cells of the patient that continuously multiplies with the help of proper vitamins and medications. A few years ago, technology has developed d that can sort through millions of these cells to find the ones that produce the most potent antibodies against an individual germ. These cells then form the basis of a manufacturing process to grow large quantities of antibodies. 

Protection would likely last about a month, possibly six. If the antibodies were modify and patients would receive the treatment by injection or other suitable treatments. 

“This would function as a stopgap” for health care workers or other vulnerable people while vaccines are being develop. Jardine said, or as prevention for older people who don’t respond as well to vaccines.

COVID-19 Antibodies

Walker’s medical team has kept all the several antibodies that block not only the coronavirus behind COVID-19. But also the one that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak which can also be found in bats. 

The COVID-19 virus is the third coronavirus. However which occurs in less than two decades to emerge from the massive death and brought difficulties to the world in many aspects. Many more are circulating in bats and other animals. As people increasingly move into wildlife habitats, humans are coming into contact with a growing number of viruses.

“It’s almost certain we’re going to see something like this happen in the future,” Walker said. “What you want is not just an antibody that works against the current virus, but also against future, related viruses.”

Opinions expressed by Portland News contributors are their own.