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Neihu, Taiwan (February 20, 2020)
Abnova announced today it is teaming up with Chung Yuan Christian University using COVID-19 virus-like particle (VLP) for therapeutic antibody validation. Due to the danger of accessing the real COVID-19 coronavirus for therapeutic antibody testing, Abnova uses a VLP developed by Chung Yuan Christian University to screen and validate antibody candidates. The VLP is naked virus particle (without RNA) produced from the PEDV alphacoronavirus with its surface protein replaced by the COVID-19 spike S protein. COVID-19 Spike-VLP become a highly efficient platform to access the interaction of COVID spike S protein with the human ACE2 and cell-surface vimentin (CSV) ligands. This complex protein interaction is responsible for viral entry into normal cells resulting in infection and disease manifestations.
An effective way to ward off the invading virus is to block the entry of the virus into normal cells. It has been know that both SARS and COVID-19 use similar mechanism for cell entry. However, use of previously identified SARS neutralizing antibodies were not effective against COVID-19 virus. This means the epitopes of spike S protein (specifically, the residue binding domain, RBD) and ACE2 protein interactions are different. As a results, new neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 would need to be developed. Use of COVID-19 Spike-VLP would be indispensable to identify neutralizing antibodies against not only COVID-19 spike S protein and but also facilitative CSV protein for cell entry.
The COVID-19 therapeutic antibody will be rapidly tested in in vivo for efficacy and safety studies. Abnova is also in discussion with antibody engineering companies for antibody humanization. Patient with severe and worsening COVID-19 infection can be better treated with therapeutic monoclonal antibody. Vaccine is not effective treatment for debilitating patients; it is more effective in non-infected healthy population. Abnova is actively contributing to COVID-19 outbreak by the development of both rapid tests and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. |
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Abnova has established a comprehensive portfolio of fully integrated solutions to address the needs of the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry. Abnova provides its partners and customers access to the technologies, products, and services relating to circulating rare cells, circulating exosomes, and circulating cell-free RNA for early to metastatic to recurrent disease and treatment diagnosis, prediction, guidance, and monitoring. Abnova facility is for proprietary bioreagent and high-throughput automation development and manufacturing for clinical trials and IVD commercialization. (www.abnova.com)