The research showed that S309 antibody is particularly potent at targeting and disabling the spike protein that promotes the coronavirus entry into cells SAN FRANCISCO : An antibody first identified in a blood sample from a patient who recovered from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 has demonstrated ability to prevent SARS-CoV-2 live virus infection of cells in laboratory, says a study, raising new hope in the fight against COVID-19.
The antibody, called S309, is now on a fast-track development and testing path at San Francisco-headquartered Vir Biotechnology in the next step toward possible clinical trials.