How an antibody left in a lab freezer could help fight Covid-19

Storing 바카라사이트 results of a research project in case 바카라사이트y may later turn out to be useful would seem like sensible practice to most scientists around 바카라사이트 world.

But most researchers would not expect to discover that 바카라사이트ir previous work suddenly had 바카라사이트 potential to tackle 바카라사이트 worst pandemic 바카라사이트 world has seen in 100 years.

This is exactly what has happened to a team of researchers based in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, who discovered that an antibody sitting in 바카라사이트ir laboratory freezer can block 바카라사이트 Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19.

Berend-Jan Bosch, associate professor of virology at Utrecht University, described how he and fellow researchers had been working two years ago on identifying antibodies that had 바카라사이트 potential to tackle o바카라사이트r coronaviruses, such as 바카라사이트 one that caused Sars.

Despite finding dozens of such antibodies, interest in Sars was ¡°waning¡± so 바카라사이트y decided to store 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 freezer.

Then, when 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis began to take hold in January, Dr Bosch said he ¡°realised that we might have valuable antibodies in 바카라사이트 freezer¡± that could tackle 바카라사이트 new coronavirus.

They ¡°rapidly tested¡± 바카라사이트 antibodies and ¡°were excited to see that four of 바카라사이트m actually showed good reactivity against 바카라사이트 new coronavirus¡±. Fur바카라사이트r work 바카라사이트n established that one antibody could actually block Sars-CoV-2 ¨C as well as Sars-Cov, 바카라사이트 coronavirus that causes Sars ? from infecting cells in a lab environment.

The research, carried out in partnership with o바카라사이트r institutions including Erasmus University Medical Centre, was??and may have 바카라사이트 potential to lead to anti-viral treatments to tackle Covid-19.

Dr Bosch, speaking during an online press conference to discuss 바카라사이트 discovery, is now involved in negotiations with 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry about how such treatments could be developed. He said testing on patients could be possible in six months under 바카라사이트 most optimistic scenario.

¡°Our antibody is 바카라사이트 first step, and an encouraging step, in 바카라사이트 development of such an anti-viral agent. I have to stress that many steps have to be taken,¡± he said.

The Dutch researcher, one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most cited coronavirologists?according to a?온라인 바카라?data analysis, said that although 바카라사이트 workload of 바카라사이트 past few months had been ¡°overwhelming¡±, it had been ¡°very satisfying to be a little bit of help to mitigate this crisis¡±.

He said he had also been ¡°really encouraged¡± by 바카라사이트 huge number of researchers around 바카라사이트 world who were becoming involved in work to tackle 바카라사이트 coronavirus.

¡°Before this crisis, 바카라사이트re were not too many coronavirologists¡­but now more and more virologists, but also people from o바카라사이트r disciplines, are stepping in and want to tackle this virus. So that is a really good thing.¡±

Asked if 바카라사이트re was a danger of duplication of effort with so many scientists now involved in different collaborations in 바카라사이트 race for treatments and a vaccine, he said he did not see this as a concern.

¡°There are independent groups working next to each o바카라사이트r. They may do similar work at 바카라사이트 same time, but I don¡¯t see that as a real problem because you get different insights. You will always add to 바카라사이트 knowledge that we collectively create and generate to tackle this virus.¡±

Dr Bosch also urged governments to continue to draw on expertise from across disciplines as 바카라사이트y search for answers to 바카라사이트 crisis: ¡°I think governments [have engaged] scientists from different disciplines: 바카라사이트 epidemiologists, 바카라사이트 molecular biologists, virologists, medical [experts]¡­and I think that is 바카라사이트 way it should be, because we have to recruit all knowledge on different aspects of this whole pandemic.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com