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RBD and NTD antibody cocktail could prevent the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 escape mutants

A new bioRxiv* preprint demonstrates how a combination of antibodies to two different regions on the viral spike could enhance neutralization efficiency as well as prevent the emergence of resistant variants.

15 Jun 2021

Does SARS-CoV-2 show seasonal variation in transmission in temperate countries?

The need to understand how and why such spread occurs is vital to containing it. A new medRxiv* preprint describes a significant reduction in transmission during the summer (by 42%), which is comparable to the impact of the most effective non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI).

15 Jun 2021

Fusogenicity and resistance of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 compared to D614G

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, describes the biological effects induced by mutations in two circulating VOCs. These are the alpha and beta strains, also called B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, respectively.

15 Jun 2021

Potent antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 can be produced without T follicular helper cells, suggests study

It has been uncertain whether antibodies produced via this non-canonical pathway are protective against SARS-CoV-2. In a new study, recently released as a preprint on the bioRxiv*server, the neutralization potency of these antibodies is compared with those traditionally produced in germinal center-based antiviral responses.

15 Jun 2021

Carbon-based antimicrobial nanoweapons to fight COVID-19

In a recent review article published in the journal ACS Nano, interdisciplinary researchers from across the world evaluated the role of carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs), such as fullerene, carbon dots, graphene, and their derivatives as promising alternatives to combat COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and other microbial infections.

15 Jun 2021

Alkaloids show potential as treatments for COVID-19

To further study these organic compounds, researchers from Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Chile, reviewed the role of alkaloids as a potential antiviral, specifically against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They presented the chemistry, plant sources, and antiviral effects of alkaloids and their anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect.

15 Jun 2021

Analysis of COVID-19 patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 tests

New research published on the medRxiv preprint server provides a detailed analysis of COVID-19 patients who had repeated positive PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large US COVID-19 electronic health record (EHR) database.

15 Jun 2021

REGEN-COV antibody cocktail shown to significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 viral load

In human trials, the interim analysis of 275 participants showed REGEN-COV quickly reduced viral loads. Moreover, this reduction was much faster in people who did not have a high viral load when they started treatment.

15 Jun 2021

Immune memory responses differ between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

Researchers in Canada have shown that the long-lasting immunity that develops following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is characterized by different T cell responses than those observed for influenza A virus-specific immune memory.

14 Jun 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern could cause further epidemics in UK

The team – from the University of Warwick, the University of Manchester, and the University of Oxford – say that a variant of concern that has either a substantial transmission advantage over resident lineages, or the ability to evade vaccine- or infection-induced immunity, can be expected to drive a wave of infections and hospitalizations similar to that seen in the country during the winter of 2020-21.

14 Jun 2021

Plasma zinc status not an effective prognostic factor for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Due to previous evidence suggesting that zinc deficiencies can lead to complications along with an impaired antiviral response, a group of international researchers has undertaken a prospective observational study to investigate this association further.

14 Jun 2021

South African and Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 variants overtake UK variant in French regions

Researchers have found that the variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that were initially identified in South Africa (B.1.351) and Brazil (P.1) appear to be spreading more quickly in some areas of France than the previously dominant UK variant B.1.1.7.

14 Jun 2021

Stents inspired by kirigami could deliver drugs to tubular organs

Inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of folding and cutting paper to create three-dimensional structures, MIT engineers and their collaborators have designed a new type of stent that could be used to deliver drugs to the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, or other tubular organs in the body.

14 Jun 2021

Researchers develop new imaging technique for studying nanoscale coronavirus-host interactions

Lei S. Qi of Stanford University, California, and colleagues published research showing a potential framework to better characterize coronaviruses' biology. While most high-resolution imaging techniques show the life cycle of coronaviruses, identifying viral or host proteins and genomes remains poorly understood. Their results use multi-color super-resolution imaging allows them to study nanoscopic parts of the coronavirus, including RNA.

14 Jun 2021

COVID-19 public health efforts linked to dramatic decline in COPD hospitalizations

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine analyzed data at the 13-hospital University of Maryland Medical System and found public health measures designed to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus may have fostered a substantial side benefit: Hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were reduced by 53 percent, according to a new study accepted for publication by a peer-reviewed medical journal and currently available at the online journal medRxiv.

14 Jun 2021

Researchers examine the importance of time after COVID-19 vaccination

A new study has been published on the medRxiv* preprint server, which deals with the importance of time post-vaccination based on the quantification of VOC immune evasion. The current study developed a toy model to estimate the effectiveness of the vaccines against VOC over time. Researchers have shown that the estimated value is highly dependent on time post-vaccination. Additionally, this model can describe the implications of changes in vaccine efficacy against VOC.

14 Jun 2021

Robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer vaccine is mediated by memory B cells

A reassuring study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, from a multi-institutional team of researchers in Italy suggests that with the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine, post-vaccination immunity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is both robust and durable.

14 Jun 2021

Intranasal monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 antibody therapy shows promise in preclinical trials

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, presents a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) called DZIF-10c that powerfully neutralizes SARS-CoV-2, including the current variants of concern (VOCs). With high bioavailability in the lungs and wide distribution in the body, the antibody was able to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice after intranasal administration.

14 Jun 2021

Fatty acid binding site on SARS-CoV-2 spike triggers spike monomer crosstalk that is key to infectivity

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, examines the role played by a fatty acid called linoleic acid (LA) that attaches at a binding site near the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. The spike exists as a homotrimer in open or closed conformations. In the former, at least one RBD points upwards.

14 Jun 2021

Can rapid antigen tests help screen for COVID-19?

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 is driven by the high proportion of asymptomatic and very mild infections, allowing people to move around and engage in public activity normally. There are many modeling studies that suggest that large-scale screening for the presence of this virus can help curb transmission at this point, from people with few or no symptoms. A new study points out the accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests for this purpose when used at the point-of-care.

14 Jun 2021

Respiratory News and Research

RBD and NTD antibody cocktail could prevent the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 escape mutants

Does SARS-CoV-2 show seasonal variation in transmission in temperate countries?

Fusogenicity and resistance of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 compared to D614G

Potent antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 can be produced without T follicular helper cells, suggests study

Carbon-based antimicrobial nanoweapons to fight COVID-19

Alkaloids show potential as treatments for COVID-19

Analysis of COVID-19 patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 tests

REGEN-COV antibody cocktail shown to significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 viral load

Immune memory responses differ between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern could cause further epidemics in UK

Plasma zinc status not an effective prognostic factor for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

South African and Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 variants overtake UK variant in French regions

Stents inspired by kirigami could deliver drugs to tubular organs

Researchers develop new imaging technique for studying nanoscale coronavirus-host interactions

COVID-19 public health efforts linked to dramatic decline in COPD hospitalizations

Researchers examine the importance of time after COVID-19 vaccination

Robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer vaccine is mediated by memory B cells

Intranasal monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 antibody therapy shows promise in preclinical trials

Fatty acid binding site on SARS-CoV-2 spike triggers spike monomer crosstalk that is key to infectivity

Can rapid antigen tests help screen for COVID-19?

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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