- Stage of development
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Preclinical: in vivo proof of concept in mouse model of infection
- Intellectual property
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3 PCT applications filed
- Intended collaboration
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Licensing and/or co-development
- Contact
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Ana SanzVice-presidency for Innovation and Transferana.sanz@csic.escomercializacion@csic.es
- Reference
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CSIC/AH/038
Additional information
#Health
#Biotechnology
#Therapy
#Antibodies
#Infectious disease
#Genetic engineering
Therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 based on camelid nanobodies
A panel of high affinity nanobodies (Nb) binding to diverse SARS-CoV-2 RBD epitopes of spike protein, and a set of nanobody-derived neutralizing heavy chain antibodies (hcAbs) have been identified. They have potential as therapy against SRAS-CoV-2 for immunocompromised or non-responding to vaccines individuals.
- Market need
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The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and is a major threat to global public health that has caused over millions of deaths. Although several COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized in different countries, as well as some SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies generated from COVID-19 convalescent individuals there are still few therapeutics on the market.
- Proposed solution
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A panel of nanobodies (MW ≈ 14 KDa) clones and human IgG1 heavy chain Fc-fused molecules (MW ≈ 80 KDa). The molecules have been humanized and can be expressed in mammalian-cells and purified from culture media.
Their therapeutic potential has been proven in vivo showing that they can protect hACE2-transgenic mice after infection with a lethal dose of SARS-CoV-2.
- Competitive advantages
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- Show potent neutralization capacity for different SARS-CoV-2 virus variants.
- Present very high affinity (subnanomolar range) to receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike SARS-CoV-2 protein and compete with the RBD-ACE2 human receptor interaction.
- A cocktail based on a few of the antibodies identified has the potential to become a new therapy against SARS-CoV-2 variants for immunocompromised or high-risk severe disease subjects.