Home-grown monoclonal antibody works against most COVID-19 variants

Dr Anmol Chandele of the ICGEB-EMORY vaccine programme at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in New Delhi and lead author of the study, which was published on October 5 in Science Advances, says making monoclonal antibodies is a challenging process. It requires a high degree of expertise in human immunology, molecular biology and virology. Scients from ICGEB and National Institute of Malaria Research collaborated with Emory Vaccine Centre (Atlanta, USA) for the study funded the Indian Council of Medical Research. It is supported the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assance Council (BIRAC) of the Government of India.
What is a monoclonal antibody?
Our body contains B cells. Theoretically each individual B cell is capable of making a unique antibody. This antibody repertoire is further increased a series of processes that are involved in what we called “antibody maturation.” In our plasma / sera / blood, we have a mixture of antibodies coming from multiple B cells that have seen the virus, are multiplying in numbers and are simultaneously producing antibodies. This is what is called polyclonal (multiple clones). Now when you make an antibody from a single B cell, all antibodies are exactly the same. This is referred to as a monoclonal antibody. The precise technology that we use isolates single B cells, clones the antibody that the B cell is capable of making and purifies the antibody protein, the scients said.

How it acts as a shield?
Antibodies have many functions. In the Y shaped structure, some of these functions come from the ‘bottom part’ of the Y (which is the Fc portion) and others come from the top (which is the Fab portion). One of the functions is neutralisation which is considered a gold standard for assessing the protective ability of a monoclonal antibody.
How can it be effective in Covid therapeutics?
Potently neutralising antibodies are well established prophylactic or therapeutic options. They work primarily neutralising the virus, which essentially means blocking the virus attachment/entry into the human cells. Therefore, definition, a monoclonal antibody therapy must be adminered early while the virus is still in the body. “Let’s not forget that the virus has not been eradicated yet. There will always be a portion of the population who will be vulnerable to this now seemingly mild virus and so if there is one lesson that Covid has taught us, it is that we should always be prepared, at least for vulnerable individuals who will be impacted,” Dr Chandele said.