Biologists have figured out how to create effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19
American scientists have found that the S2H97 antibody effectively neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 particles. Its molecules are capable of generating protection against several viruses at once. This is reported by the scientific journal Nature.
Based on this antibody, it will be possible to create new vaccines against coronavirus or methods of treating COVID-19, according to the description of a study conducted by biologists on laboratory mice.
Research progress
A group of scientists from the Center for Cancer Research. Hutchinson (USA) studied 12 antibodies from the blood of people who had had a coronavirus infection. They attach to a piece of viral protein that binds to receptors on human cells. It is called the receptor binding domain.
To understand which of these antibodies works better than others, scientists have compiled a list of several thousand mutations that arise in this area of the new type of coronavirus, as well as related pathogens. Then they found that one of the antibodies (S2H97) was able to attach to the domains of all similar pathogens (sarbecoviruses) and neutralize them in living cells.
Protection against multiple viruses
The molecular structure showed that S2H97 targets the hidden and invisible region of the region-site. Experiments with hamsters have shown that the molecules of this antibody can protect against several mutations of the coronavirus at the same time.
At the same time, the authors of the study explained that a universal antibody is needed, since the infection will mutate further, despite the availability of vaccines.
Scientists hope that the results of their work will help create new drugs to combat not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but also possible future epidemics. So far, it cannot be argued that S2H97 can protect against new strains of coronavirus, but the discovery of a “superantbody” should prepare humanity to fight its other mutations, said the head of the group, Tyler Starr.
Delta is three times more infectious
It is the new strains of the coronavirus that are the most dangerous. So, in Rospotrebnadzor on July 16, they said that the delta coronavirus strain is three times more infectious than usual.
“The delta variant [in comparison with the usual] is capable of infecting three times more people,” said Alexander Gorelov, deputy director for scientific work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor. According to him, there is no increase in the number of severe cases and deaths with the delta strain.
Earlier, the WHO said that the “delta” may soon become dominant in the world. At the same time, experts do not yet have complete clarity about why this option is present in some countries, while in others it is not.
The situation with coronavirus in the world
As of July 16, 188 million 915 thousand 348 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the world (an increase per day – 573 162 cases or 0.3%).
In terms of the total number of detected cases, the first place is occupied by the American Region (74 620 214), the largest increase per day was recorded in the European region – 163 725, Rospotrebnadzor notes in a bulletin published on Friday.
The largest number of cases per 100 thousand of the population was recorded in Southeast Asia (5077.6), where the greatest increase per day in relative values was noted (17.9 per 100 thousand of the population). In the Western Pacific region – the maximum increase in relative terms (0.85%).
