China develops inhalable antibody against Covid-19, variants

Beijing, Mar 4 (EFE).- Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed an inhalable antibody that can, according to the results of tests carried out on animals, offer “broad protection” against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and its variants, state broadcaster CGTN said.

In an article published in the scientific journal “Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy,” Chinese researchers showed how an antibody based on the receptor binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 could neutralize the virus and its beta, delta and omicron variants.

In their experiments, scientists from the CAS Institute of Microbiology administered the antibody to mice through their nostrils and, later, found no traces of the virus or damage to the lungs, which they said “demonstrates that the nasal route is an effective method of preventing infection.”

The researchers also said the antibody comes from egg yolk, which makes “large-scale production” possible thanks to “its low cost.”

The scientists said the antibody could be “an effective supplement” to existing coronavirus vaccines and a way to prevent transmission between pets and animals vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2.

So far, the country has administered about 3.1 billion doses of vaccines against Covid-19 among its population.

According to China’s National Health Commission, since the start of the pandemic, 110,258 people have been infected in the country, among whom 102,318 have managed to heal and 4,636 have died. EFE

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