A coronavirus vaccine might be months away, but with the COVID-19 pandemic still on the rise, scientists believe that a different type of drug might temporarily suffice.
According to Gigi Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, monoclonal antibodies offer a strong bridge to a vaccine.
Of course, a vaccine to combat COVID-19 would be the ultimate goal as it would train the immune system to develop a defense against the coronavirus on its own. However, monoclonal antibodies could give the immune system a prompt, but short-lived push to fight off the coronavirus.
Several drugmakers like Eli Lilly and Regeneron, are currently developing monoclonal antibodies. Early in June, both companies started clinical trials. Furthermore, results are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
What are Monoclonal Antibodies?
The National Cancer Institute describes monoclonal antibodies as immune system proteins synthetically created in the lab. They are used to treat many diseases, particularly some types of cancer.
Some monoclonal antibodies used to treat cancer are referred to as targeted therapy. This is because they have a specific target on a cancer cell that they aim to find, attach to, and attack.
However, other monoclonal antibodies function like immunotherapy because they make the immune system respond better. They do this to allow the body to locate and attack cancer cells more effectively. When a person is infected with a germ, for instance, a coronavirus, the person's immune system creates proteins called antibodies. These antibodies are made specifically for that germ.
Equipped with antibodies, the immune system can then recognize the specific pathogen when the body comes in contact with it again.
Antibodies have been used for treating diseases since the 1890s. They were indicated for use in diphtheria. Now, they are used in treating cancer, rabies, Ebola, and some forms of hepatitis. Scientists hope that COVID-19 will soon be on the same list of indications for antibody treatments.
Goal: Prevent Hospitalization
In an interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg on Thursday, July 15, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that in combating COVID-19, we need drugs that prevent hospitalization.
Furthermore, Fauci mentioned both convalescent plasma and monoclonal antibodies as potentially keeping coronavirus patients out of hospital confinement.
According to Gronvall, monoclonals are a refinement of the convalescent plasma process, mass producing it as a purified form. She adds that convalescent plasma consists of a person's antibodies to a diversity of pathogens, not just the coronavirus.
However in the lab, scientists can spot specific antibodies. After which, they can manufacture them all at once. In this case, it's antibodies will be specific to the coronavirus.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, says that when manufacturing your own antibodies, quality control can be ensured as you pick the best and determine the right quantity.
Furthermore, he described monoclonal antibodies as a "force field" surrounding the coronavirus. He says there is a lot of excitement around the approach as many are hoping for positive results using the treatment.
