Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Antibodies produced by animals Llama being studied is used to fight corona virus (Covid-19). The antibody is currently being tested in humans by a Belgian biomedical company.
The research team from the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology in Ghent, Belgium claims that antibodies produced from a Llama have successfully disabled the virulence of coronavirus infection, including other variants in laboratory tests.
Researchers say that antibodies from the Llama can be used as a vaccine supplement to help those who have a lower immune system, as well as a drug for people with SarS-CoV-2.
Llama antibodies are said to have a very small size. They can attach to specific sites on the SarS-CoV-2 viral spike protein, and make it difficult for the virus to mutate.
In addition, Llama antibodies also exhibit strong neutralizing activity against the highly contagious Delta variant of the corona virus.
Researchers conducted clinical trials on humans since last week, in partnership with Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB. The antibodies were given to several volunteers who are in good health and who are being treated for exposure to the corona virus.
Thus, researchers hope that the clinical trial will provide the same results as research in the laboratory.
One of the leaders of VIB-UGent, Xavier Saelens, explained that Llamas produce antibodies that are smaller in size than antibodies produced by other mammals. In addition, he said Llama antibodies were more stable and easier to reproduce.
“Their small size … allows them to hit targets, reach parts of the virus that are difficult to access with conventional antibodies,” he said Reuters.
As reported CGTNScientists have been researching the use of Llama antibodies to tackle other viruses before the pandemic, with a study released in 2016 on how they could help fight SARS and MERS.
Two years ago, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi poured US$4.6 billion (Rp.
(can/ayp)
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