Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

NIH starts Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules

The National Institutes of Health has started a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in which adult volunteers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive booster doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to determine the safety and immunogenicity of mixed boosted regimens.

1 Jun 2021

Compelling evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and neutralizing antibodies in domestic cats in Peru

Although Peru is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, no studies had been conducted to investigate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among domestic cats. Recently, researchers from Peru demonstrated the presence of neutralizing antibodies for the receptor binding-domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in cats in Lima, Peru. The owners of the cats in the study had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

1 Jun 2021

Antibody cocktail effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in the rhesus macaque model

Researchers from the US tested the prophylactic potential of a combination of 2 mAbs administered 3 or 75 days before respiratory challenge in rhesus macaques. They used the rhesus macaque model to test the added benefit of combinatory parenteral administration of 2 high-affinity anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs - C144-LS and C135-LS. These mAbs were developed to neutralize the virus and tweaked to improve their pharmacokinetics.

1 Jun 2021

Researchers develop new method for sequencing single cells in an efficient manner

RNA sequencing is a powerful technology for studying cells and diseases. In particular, single-cell RNA sequencing helps uncover the heterogeneity and diversity of our body.

1 Jun 2021

ALG-097111 potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Syrian Hamster model in vivo

A team of researchers from the US and Belgium applied a structure-based approach with early monitoring of cathepsin L inhibition along with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibition. They identified a potent and selective SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitor, ALG-097111, which has proven activity against SARS-CoV-2 in SARS-CoV-2 hamster models in vivo. This study is published in the journal, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

1 Jun 2021

Study offers longitudinal roadmap of immune activation and resolution in mild COVID-19

Researchers from the US recently profiled the longitudinal immune response in mild COVID-19 patients starting with early time points of 1-15 days post-infection through convalescence to over 100 days after onset of symptoms.

1 Jun 2021

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

While several COVID-19 vaccine candidates have been developed and deployed to arrest the spread of SARS-CoV-2, concern among scientists and public health authorities is mounting over the immunity escape potential of emerging viral variants. To address this problem, a group of scientists in Germany has undertaken research to identify molecular targets across viral variants to aid in the development of second and third-generation vaccines and novel therapeutics.

1 Jun 2021

FDA approves investigational monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light on the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, sotrovimab, as a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment.

1 Jun 2021

Vitamin D may be ineffective in protecting against COVID-19

A study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that genetic evidence does not support vitamin D as a protective measure against COVID-19.

1 Jun 2021

Using Sotrovimab to treat COVID-19 early

A new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server hypothesized that a monoclonal antibody that has the capability to neutralize all sarbecoviruses could also be used to target a highly conserved epitope. This conserved sequence has a high probability of remaining unchanged in SARS-CoV-2 variants.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Researchers analyzed data on three variants of concern and found that viral loads were higher and infection lasted longer for the B.1.1.7 variant. They all were more infectious than the original strain, and transmissibility also depended on population demographics.

31 May 2021

Function and regeneration of dendritic cells impaired in COVID-19

A group of researchers from Germany has investigated and analyzed circulating dendritic cells and monocyte subsets in 65 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with mild to severe presentations of the infection. A variety of patients were included in their study, from those who exhibited minor signs of acute disease to convalescents, as well as healthy controls

31 May 2021

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Researchers developed a platform for detecting the virus directly from a patient's sample as well as the immune response through antibodies such as IgG and IgM.

31 May 2021

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

The report has recently been published on the preprint server medRxiv* by Kwong et al. (May 28th, 2021) and focused on the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, confirming the supposed greater efficacy in preventing infection or severe outcomes following the administration of two doses.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617 may be more transmissible and pathogenic due to spike cleavage

In a new research paper currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a research group from the United Kingdom (UK) provides experimental evidence that B.1.617 lineage of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) – also known as the Indian variant of concern – shows enhanced cleavage of spike glycoprotein by furin, which can enhance its transmissibility and pathogenic traits.

31 May 2021

Researchers repurpose pre-existing anti-SARS-CoV antibody to develop potent neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the United States has recently engineered a pre-existing anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) neutralizing antibody to increase its binding affinity for the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The engineered antibody demonstrates high potency in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and preventing infection in animals.

31 May 2021

Could a mathematical application of information theory identify and predict SARS-CoV-2 mutations?

An interesting new study by researchers at the University of Portsmouth, UK, describes the use of a mathematical method to sequence genomes based on information theory. The method offers an alternative to clinical techniques, allowing mutations to be detected and possibly even predicted. In this way, it opens new research opportunities in bioinformatics and genetics.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 induces potent inflammation via NF-κB pathways, finds study

SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded RNA genome encoding both structural and non-structural proteins. Of these, the latter is known to play a variety of roles in viral replication and the assembly of new viral particles, as well as in suppressing cellular immune responses. A new study reports the activity of one such protein, the non-structural protein 14 (NSP14), which activates the inflammatory mediator NF-κB to trigger intense inflammation.

31 May 2021

Inflammatory brain injury higher in men with acute COVID-19, finds study

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with both short- and long-term neurologic complications, including stroke, brain fog and persistent tiredness. A new study concludes that the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the central nervous system (CNS) are due to the endothelial injury and inflammation that this produces in the brain.

31 May 2021

COVID-19, mass testing and the utility of wastewater epidemiology

In a recent study, researchers developed a methodology to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater with the potential for finding an association between the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) SARS-CoV-2 influent viral RNA load and COVID-19 cases in the community. This study indicates that a national scale wastewater-based epidemiology can play a role in COVID-19 surveillance.

31 May 2021

Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

NIH starts Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules

Compelling evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and neutralizing antibodies in domestic cats in Peru

Antibody cocktail effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in the rhesus macaque model

Researchers develop new method for sequencing single cells in an efficient manner

ALG-097111 potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Syrian Hamster model in vivo

Study offers longitudinal roadmap of immune activation and resolution in mild COVID-19

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

FDA approves investigational monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for COVID-19

Vitamin D may be ineffective in protecting against COVID-19

Using Sotrovimab to treat COVID-19 early

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Function and regeneration of dendritic cells impaired in COVID-19

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617 may be more transmissible and pathogenic due to spike cleavage

Researchers repurpose pre-existing anti-SARS-CoV antibody to develop potent neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2

Could a mathematical application of information theory identify and predict SARS-CoV-2 mutations?

SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 induces potent inflammation via NF-κB pathways, finds study

Inflammatory brain injury higher in men with acute COVID-19, finds study

COVID-19, mass testing and the utility of wastewater epidemiology

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

Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

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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