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UrduIUPUI researchers are developing a “biosensing platform” for COVID-19 that’s fast, efficient, accurate and highly sensitive, which could help scientists stay on top of shifting virus variants.
Tag: Antibodies
Clever COVID-19
As new Omicron subvariants of COVID-19 continue to sweep across the United States, researchers at the University of Missouri have identified specific mutations within the virus’ spike protein that help Omicron subvariants evade existing antibodies humans have from either vaccines or previous COVID-19 infections.
Milk boost: Research shows how breastfeeding offers immune benefits
When infants breastfeed, they receive an immune boost that helps them fight off infectious diseases, according to recent research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
New Antibody Detection Method for Coronavirus That Does Not Require a Blood Sample
Despite significant and stunning advances in vaccine technology, the COVID-19 global pandemic is not over.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies could provide immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants
Two broadly neutralizing antibodies show great promise to provide long-acting immunity against COVID-19 in immunocompromised populations according to a paper published June 15 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM). The antibodies were effective against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern tested and could be used alone or in an antibody cocktail to diminish the risk of infection.
Mount Sinai Researchers Develop a Rapid Test to Measure Immunity to COVID-19
Mount Sinai researchers have developed a rapid blood assay that measures the magnitude and duration of someone’s immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This test will allow large-scale monitoring of the population’s immunity and the effectiveness of current vaccines to help design revaccination strategies for vulnerable immunosuppressed individuals, according to a study published in Nature Biotechnology in June.
LJI scientists publish first head-to-head comparison of four COVID-19 vaccines
“Just understanding the immune responses to these vaccines will help us integrate what is successful into vaccine designs going forward.”
‘Nanobodies’ from Llamas Could Yield Cell-Specific Medications for Humans
In “proof of concept” experiments with mouse and human cells and tissues, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have designed tiny proteins, called nanobodies, derived from llama antibodies, that could potentially be used to deliver targeted medicines to human muscle cells.
COVID-19 vaccine effective in people receiving cancer treatment, study finds
About 95% of participants achieved a measurable immune response after vaccination, according to study published in JAMA Oncology.
Why Breakthrough COVID? Antibodies Fighting Original Virus May Be Weaker Against Omicron
If you’re wondering why after two vaccination doses and a booster shot, you still got sick from the omicron strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, one possible answer may have been found in a recent study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Some cases of long COVID-19 may be caused by an abnormally suppressed immune system, UCLA-led research suggests
Researchers studying the effect of the monoclonal antibody Leronlimab on long COVID-19 may have found a surprising clue to the baffling syndrome, one that contradicts their initial hypothesis. An abnormally suppressed immune system may be to blame, not a persistently hyperactive one as they had suspected.
Age, sex and waning COVID-19 antibodies
As widely-anticipated decisions about COVID-19 vaccine boosters roll out from U.S. agencies today, insights from an independent study underscore why boosters are important for all adults.
COVID-19: The older you are, the more antibodies you have
Université de Montréal chemists looked at lab samples of patients who recovered from a mild case of COVID-19 and found that those over 50 produced more antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill Scientists Identify New Antibody For COVID-19 and Variants
A research collaboration between scientists at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has identified and tested an antibody that limits the severity of infections from a variety of coronaviruses, including those that cause COVID-19 as well as the original SARS illness.
New antibody detection platform offers accelerated multiplex detection of antibodies against pathogens or autoantibodies against biomarkers
Veravas has announced the development of its VeraPrep™ Antibody Detection Kit, a new development platform that provides scientists with a state-of-the-art research tool to detect and measure immunoglobulins against new and emerging pathogens.
From Alpha to Epsilon: Consortium study illuminates surfaces of Spike most resistant to antibody escape
Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have published a detailed map of where human antibodies bind to SARS-CoV-2, a map that was generated by a global collaboration comparing nearly all leading clinical candidates. The new research will guide the development of more effective COVID-19 antibody therapies and help scientists develop effective vaccines to address emerging viral variants.
Llama antibodies have “significant potential” as potent COVID-19 treatment
A unique type of tiny antibody produced by llamas could provide a new frontline treatment against Covid-19 that can be taken by patients as a simple nasal spray.
Pregnant Women Who Receive COVID-19 Vaccination Pass Protection from the Virus to Their Newborns
Women who receive COVID-19 mRNA vaccines during pregnancy pass high levels of antibodies to their babies, a new NYU Langone study finds.
Researchers explain how nanomaterial aids antibody response, study it as antibody factory
Iowa State researchers affiliated with the Nanovaccine Institute have explained how a nanomaterial initiates antibody production by the immune system’s B cells. The technique could be used to turn B cells into factories that provide antibodies for diagnostic tests or treatments.
UTHealth researcher awarded CPRIT grant to test potential large-molecule cancer drugs at preclinical development core facility
A preclinical development core where researchers can test the effectiveness of large molecule drug candidates for novel cancer treatments, led by Qingyun Liu, PhD, has been awarded a nearly $4 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).
$1.3 million in NIH grants to enable research into antibody-mediated drug delivery technology
Two National Institute of Health (NIH) grants totaling over $1.3 million will enable research into antibody-mediated drug delivery technology for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disorders. L. Nathan Tumey, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, is the Principal Investigator on both grants — $1.2 million from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and $150,000 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Breast milk of mothers who received COVID-19 vaccine contains antibodies that fight illness
The breast milk of lactating mothers vaccinated against COVID-19 contains a significant supply of antibodies that may help protect nursing infants from the illness, according to new research from the University of Florida.
Surveillance study finds disparities, high proportion of past COVID-19 infections among adults and children in Santa Ana
In a large-scale, population-based surveillance conducted in partnership with the City of Santa Ana, researchers at the University of California, Irvine’s Program in Public Health found 27% positivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among participating Santa Ana residents. This unique study was one of the first to examine household transmission of COVID-19 and to include a pediatric population (ages 5+).
Antibody protects against broad range of COVID-19 virus variants
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified an antibody that is highly protective against a broad range of viral variants.
World-first COVID vaccine booster randomized clinical trial in transplant patients proves third shot is very effective
The study enrolled 120 transplant patients between May 25th and June 3rd. None of them had COVID previously and all of them had received two doses of the Moderna vaccine. Half of the participants received a third shot of the vaccine (at the 2-month mark after their second dose) and the other half received placebo.
The primary outcome was based on antibody level greater than 100 U/ml against the spike protein of the virus. In the placebo group – after three doses (where the third dose was placebo), the response rate was only 18% whereas in the Moderna three-dose group, the response rate was 55%.
Hopkins Med News Update
NEWS STORIES IN THIS ISSUE:
– COVID-19 NEWS: Johns Hopkins Medicine Study Shows Vaccine Likely Protects People with HIV
– Johns Hopkins Medicine Documents Stroke Risk in Cardiac Assist Device
– CBD Products May Help People with Epilepsy Better Tolerate Anti-Seizure Medications
COVID-19 infection rate low among rural health care workers
Antibody testing of health care workers in three rural counties in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota showed 15% had antibodies to the novel coronavirus.
Highly Potent, Stable Nanobodies Stop SARS-CoV-2
Göttingen researchers have developed mini-antibodies that efficiently block the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its dangerous new variants.
Novel autoantibody adds fuel to COVID-19 “firestorm” of inflammation, blood clots
Researchers at Michigan Medicine have discovered another functional autoantibody in COVID-19 patients that contributes to the disease’s development and the “firestorm” of blood clots and inflammation it induces. The autoantibody makes it harder for the body to degrade neutrophil extracellular traps, the toxic webs of DNA and proteins produced by overactive immune cells at heightened levels in COVID patients.
Had COVID-19? One vaccine dose enough; boosters for all, study says
A new study in ACS Nano supports increasing evidence that people who had COVID-19 need only one vaccine dose, and that boosters could be necessary for everyone in the future.
Engineering nanobodies as lifesavers when SARS-CoV-2 variants attack
Scientists are pursuing a new strategy in the protracted fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus by engineering nanobodies that can neutralize virus variants in two different ways.
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on COVID-19
NEWS STORIES IN THIS ISSUE:
-Physician and Musician: Johns Hopkins Doctor Brings Passion for Music to Medicine During Pandemic
-Rapid, At-Home Blood Test Could Confirm COVID-19 Vaccination in Minutes
-What to Expect and Prepare for As You Return to Regular Health Care Appointments
-Study Suggests Sudden Hearing Loss Not Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination
-Vaccination May Not Rid COVID-19 Risk for Those with Rheumatic, Musculoskeletal Diseases
Preclinical research reveals that new IgM antibodies administered intranasally to fight COVID-19 more potent than commonly used ones
A nasal therapy, built upon on the application of a new engineered IgM antibody therapy for COVID-19, was more effective than commonly used IgG antibodies at neutralizing the COVID-19 virus in animal models, according to research recently published by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB Health), the University of Houston, and IGM Biosciences, Inc.
Low on Antibodies, Blood Cancer Patients Can Fight off COVID-19 with T Cells
Antibodies aren’t the only immune cells needed to fight off COVID-19 — T cells are equally important and can step up to do the job when antibodies are depleted, suggests a new Penn Medicine study of blood cancer patients with COVID-19 published in Nature Medicine.
How X-rays Could Make Reliable, Rapid COVID-19 Tests a Reality
Vaccines are turning the tide of the pandemic, but there’s still a risk of COVID-19 infections. Instant at-home tests would help us return to normal, but current options aren’t very accurate. A new discovery could get reliable tests on the market.
Simulations reveal how dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain binds to host, succumbs to antibodies
Large-scale supercomputer simulations at the atomic level show that the dominant G form variant of the COVID-19-causing virus is more infectious partly because of its greater ability to readily bind to its target host receptor in the body, compared to other variants.
MAJORITY OF CANCER PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 HAVE SIMILAR IMMUNE RESPONSE TO PEOPLE WITHOUT CANCER
Most people with cancer who are infected by the novel coronavirus produce antibodies at a rate comparable to the rest of the population—but their ability to do so depends on their type of cancer and the treatments they’ve received, according to a new study by researchers at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The findings, published online today in Nature Cancer, may lead to better care for cancer patients, who face a heightened risk of dying from COVID-19, and suggests that cancer patients should respond well to COVID-19 vaccines.
New Study Shows How Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Allow the Virus to Evade Immune System Defenses
Research reveals how mutated SARS-CoV-2 evades immune system defenses
In lab-dish experiments, the mutant virus escaped antibodies from the plasma of
COVID-19 survivors as well as pharmaceutical-grade antibodies
Mutations arose in an immunocompromised patient with chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection
Patient-derived virus harbored structural changes now seen cropping up independently in samples across the globe
Findings underscore the need for better genomic surveillance to keep track of emerging variants
Results highlight importance of therapies aimed at multiple targets on SARS-CoV-2 to minimize risk of resistance
Hackensack Meridian Health Publication: COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma with Greater Antibody Levels is Safe and Shows Promise
The treatment was safe, transferred the survivors’ antibodies, and did not prevent the recipients from making their own antibodies, according to the results published recently in the journal JCI Insights.
New evidence COVID-19 antibodies, vaccines less effective against variants
New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 can evade antibodies that work against the original form of the virus that sparked the pandemic, potentially undermining the effectiveness of vaccines and antibody-based drugs now being used to prevent or treat COVID-19.
More than 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Protein 3D Structures Available
New Brunswick, N.J. (March 3, 2021) – The 3D structures of more than 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus proteins are freely available from the RCSB Protein Data Bank headquartered at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The data bank reached the milestone this week, with 1,018 proteins as…
Antibodies Recognize and Attack Different SARS-CoV-2 Spike Shapes
ROCKVILLE, MD – The virus that causes COVID-19 belongs to the family of coronaviruses, “corona” referring to the spikes on the viral surface.
A Cheap, Potent Pathway to Pandemic Therapeutics
By capitalizing on a convergence of chemical, biological and artificial intelligence advances, scientists have developed an unusually fast and efficient method for discovering tiny antibody fragments with big potential for development into therapeutics against deadly diseases.
Federal COVID-19 response taps UCI Health as a model for delivering monoclonal antibody therapy
Irvine, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 — Monoclonal antibodies are showing promise for improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients, but when a hospital is already beyond capacity, administering them can be a challenge. As hospitalizations soared across California, clinicians with UCI Health created a system for delivering monoclonal antibodies that is keeping hospital beds available for patients with the greatest need.
Retrained generic antibodies can recognize SARS-CoV-2
An alternative approach to train the immunity response is offered by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago and California State University at Sacramento who have developed a novel strategy that redirects antibodies for other diseases existing in humans to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2.
Recruiting Starts at University of Miami Health System for NIH Study of COVID-19 Immunity
The University of Miami Health System is one of five sites nationally and the only one in the Southeast U.S. chosen to participate in a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) study looking at people who have had COVID-19 or have had a COVID-19 vaccine to examine the durability and robustness of participants’ antibody and T-cell responses to the virus.
NAU-TGen study results show COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections
A collaborative study shows COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections, such as the common cold. It may also explain how previous exposure could partially account for differences in severity between old vs. young patients
Royalty Pharma Donates $1,000,000 To Support Mount Sinai’s COVID-19 Patient Care and Clinical Research
Royalty Pharma today announced a charitable contribution by Royalty Pharma in the amount of $1,000,000 to Mount Sinai Health System.
Antibody cocktails at low doses could be more effective at treating COVID-19, according to new study
Pairs of antibodies may be more effective than single antibodies at preventing and treating COVID-19, according to a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Rockefeller University in New York. The study, published November 19 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), also suggests that in addition to blocking SARS-CoV-2’s entry into cells, the antibodies may combat the virus by enlisting various types of white blood cells to fight the infection.
COVID-19 Immunity May Last Six Months or More
People who have recovered from coronavirus can make potent antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 that evolve in the months after infection. These antibodies may be evolving in response to residual viral antigen hidden in the gut.