Scientists Identify Antibodies That Can Kill Omicron Coronavirus Variant

A global team of scientists have discovered antibodies that can kill the variant responsible for driving a global surge - the Omicron. In addition, scientists claim that these antibodies can also neutralise other variants of Covid-19.

The antibodies work by targeting areas of the virus' spike protein that don't undergo changes with mutations.

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New treatments may be explored

According to one of the study's researchers, David Veesler from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine, by targeting antibodies on the spike protein, scientists may be able to design vaccines and antibody treatments that would work not just against the Omicron variant but against any mutations that could appear in the future.

Reuters

In conversation with MedicalXpress, Veesler said that "by focusing on antibodies that target these highly conserved sites on the spike protein, there is a way to overcome the virus' continual evolution."

Also read: Bill Gates: Omicron Spreads Faster Than Any Virus In History, Stay Home For Christmas

The Omicron variant of coronavirus has 37 mutations in its spike protein, considered an unusually high number for a virus. Owing to this, countries like the US and UK are urging citizens to get a booster shot (a third shot of vaccine) to bolster the body's antibody response in case of infection.

Studies have indicated that while the variant may be less lethal, it is more transmissible and capable of escaping the protection provided by vaccines that were developed keeping the previous variants in mind.

Why the virus keeps mutating

If the virus keeps mutating (which it will unless vaccine inequity is dealt with), one of these days a more a lethal and more transmissible variant could pop up that could cause another serious wave of infections like the one seen during the Delta wave in India this summer.

The team behind the identification of antibodies believe that the Omicron's mutations may be due to the weakened immune system of someone who was infected with the variant. It's also possible that the virus jumped from humans to animals and then back to humans again.

AP

Also read: ICMR Designs Fast & Accurate Omicron Covid Detection Kit, Shares With Manufacturers

The researchers also found that Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, and AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccines offered some level of protection against Omicron unlike Sputnik V, Sinopharm, and Johnson & Johnson that showed no ability to stop Omicron's entry into cells.

What do you think - should health bodies change their approach in tackling Covid-19? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of tech and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

Citation

McCarthy, M. (2021, December 27). Scientists identify antibodies that can neutralize omicron. MedicalXpress.