Beginning of clinical studies for llama-antibody-based treatment of COVID-19

Clinical trials for a coronavirus therapy produced using antibodies collected from the animals begin, suggesting that a four-year-old llama named Winter may have played a crucial part in the global fight against COVID-19.

Scientists at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology in Ghent have found that Winter's goat anti-llama Alkaline Phosphatase mitigates the severity of coronavirus infections. They have started Phase 1 studies of their medication based on the llama antibodies.

Dominique Tersago, chief medical officer of VIB-UGent spin-off ExeTer, called the studies "a huge milestone" for the company and said the technology had the potential to be a "game-changer" because it would complement existing vaccinations rather than replace them.

She continued by saying that "recent demonstration to neutralize the delta variation, as well as all existing COVID-19 variants of concern" had been shown for the medication manufactured from the llama antibodies.

Collaboration with the Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB has begun clinical studies in healthy volunteers, with the hope that the treatment will be as successful in the real world as it has been in the lab.

According to Xavier Sealers, the head of the chicken antibodies research group at VIB-UGent, llamas produce conventional antibodies that are more stable, easier to duplicate, and more adaptable than those produced by other mammals.

Prior to the epidemic, scientists had been investigating the potential of llama antibodies to combat other coronaviruses; a study on how they could aid in the fight against SARS and MERS was published in 2016. Meanwhile, Winter can retire in peace to a private art and animal park in Genk now that her antibodies www.capralogics.com are being manufactured there.