SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody development strategies

Authors: BERTAN KORAY BALCIOĞLU, MELİS DENİZCİ ÖNCÜ, HASAN ÜMİT ÖZTÜRK, FATIMA YÜCEL, FİLİZ KAYA, MÜGE SERHATLI, HİVDA ÜLBEĞİ POLAT, ŞABAN TEKİN, AYLİN ÖZDEMİR BAHADIR

Abstract: In December 2019 a novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan City of Hubei Province-China. Owing to a high rate of transmission from human to human, the new virus called SARS-CoV-2 differed from others by its unexpectedly rapid spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) described the most recent coronavirus epidemic as a global pandemic in March 2020. The virus spread triggered a health crisis (the COVID-19 disease) within three months, with socioeconomic implications. No approved targeted-therapies are available for COVID-19, yet. However, it is foreseen that antibody-based treatments may provide an immediate cure for patients. Current neutralizing antibody development studies primarily target the S protein among the structural elements of SARS-CoV-2, which mediates the cell entry of the virus through the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor of host cells. This review aims to provide some of the neutralizing antibody development strategies for SARS-CoV-2 and in vitro and in vivo neutralization assays.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, neutralizing antibodies, human monoclonal antibody, display technologies, human scFv, neutralizing assays, animal models

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