Spike Protein News and Research

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Female reproductive organs not susceptible to direct SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers at the University in San Francisco, California, report that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unlikely to negatively impact on pregnancy-related outcomes such as premature birth, transmission to babies via breast milk, and infertility.

23 Jun 2020

First clinical trial in South Africa for Covid-19 vaccine begins

The first clinical trial in South Africa and on the continent for a Covid-19 vaccine was announced today, 23 June 2020, at a virtual press conference hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits).

23 Jun 2020

Is a second wave of coronavirus coming?

As Americans continue to grapple with the novel coronavirus, one question is on a lot of people's minds: Are we already seeing, or will we eventually see, a second wave of the virus?

23 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 induces broad T cell response in recovering patients

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 shows that T cell responses in COVID-19 patients are broader and more robust in severe disease and are explicitly directed against spike, memory, and ORF3a proteins.

23 Jun 2020

Scientists create 'all-atom' model of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an illness that has spread across the globe, infecting more than 9 million people. The novel coronavirus invades cells through "spike proteins," which sticks and binds itself to a host cell.

23 Jun 2020

Single-dose Israeli vaccine candidate protective against SARS-CoV-2

Now, a new Israeli study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 reports a new recombinant vaccine expressing the S or spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to be highly protective with a single dose in an animal model. This could be a gamechanger in the fight to contain the outbreak.

23 Jun 2020

Reassuring news on the Oxford vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2

A new paper from the UK vaccine research group, currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server, reveals that a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) can induce antigen-specific antibody and T cells responses against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and a booster shot additionally enhances antibody production with an increase in neutralizing titers – particularly in pigs.

22 Jun 2020

UAH researchers assess treatment efficacy of naturally occurring compounds against COVID-19

The Baudry Lab at The University of Alabama in Huntsville has identified 125 naturally occurring compounds that have a computational potential for efficacy against the COVID-19 virus from the first batch of 50,000 rapidly assessed by a supercomputer.

22 Jun 2020

Researchers produce first fully-glycosylated full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike protein models

The virus SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the known cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The "spike" or S protein facilitates viral entry into host cells.

22 Jun 2020

Synthetic peptide could be an effective COVID-19 treatment and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

Ligandal, one of the world’s leading genetic medicine companies, has modeled a synthetic peptide that could be an effective COVID-19 treatment and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

22 Jun 2020

Massive proteomics investigation of COVID-19 infection

Researchers from Germany and Switzerland revealed functional effects of individual severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins on cellular level after infection. They placed the findings into the context of host signaling pathways in order to identify vulnerable parts of the virus amenable to treatment. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

21 Jun 2020

A highly sensitive and specific antibody test for COVID-19

A new proof-of-concept study by UK researchers, currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server, describes the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that can be used when lower levels of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific-antibodies are present in serum and saliva samples.

21 Jun 2020

Interesting study on which species may be infected by SARS-CoV-2

The team from the University of Cambridge and the Pirbright Institute found that the Spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 engages with the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) across a wide range of animals, even though the Spike binding site shows a between-species variation in its amino acid composition.

21 Jun 2020

Promising candidate monoclonal antibodies show "exquisite potency" against SAR-CoV-2

Researchers at Columbia University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the National Institutes of Health have identified and characterized a range of monoclonal antibodies that potently neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

21 Jun 2020

Mutational targets of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain for vaccine-antiviral development

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the whole world within six months, causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths. Yet there is no effective vaccine or antiviral to deal with it.

18 Jun 2020

Novel SARS-CoV-2 antibody cocktail impeccably mimics human antibody response

By using both humanized mice and convalescent patients, the researchers from the US and Singapore successfully generated non-competing and highly potent monoclonal antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein that could potentially be combined to form antibody cocktails. Their groundbreaking paper is published in the leading research journal Science.

18 Jun 2020

First genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals genes that control SARS-CoV-2 infection

By performing a genome-wide CRISPR screen on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), U.S. researchers identified novel proviral genes and pathways, and highlighted host genes that may regulate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pathogenesis, as well as revealing potential targets for novel treatment approaches. Their findings are currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Jun 2020

Impact Biomedical's COVID-19 research published in peer-reviewed scientific journal

SGX-listed Singapore eDevelopment Limited's wholly owned subsidiary Impact Biomedical Inc. announced today that their COVID-19 research with Global Research and Discovery Group Sciences, conducted in collaboration with Harvard Medical School and Vilotos Pharmaceutical, Inc., was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Molecules on June 11, 2020.

18 Jun 2020