A Potent SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Single-domain Antibody (SdAb) Shows Therapeutic Efficacy in the Syrian Golden Hamster Model of COVID-19

11:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM BST, October 25, 2022

SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious and pathogenic coronavirus that causes a pandemic of the acute respiratory disease known as COVID-19 and threatens human health and public safety. Research has shown that neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 is one of the most effective treatments for COVID-19. Compared with traditional antibodies, single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) have small molecular weight and high hydrophilicity, which can bind epitopes that traditional antibodies cannot. At the same time, single-domain antibodies have higher tissue penetration and stability, and are easier to be modified, optimized, and humanized. Meanwhile, they are suitable for large-scale industrial production. Due to the above characteristics, single-domain antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 will be of great significance for the treatment of COVID-19.

Creative Biolabs has invited Dr. James Naismith to walk us through the development of his novel SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing sdAbs and how his team has found a candidate demonstrating promising therapeutic efficacy in a hamster model of COVID-19.

The following key points will be discussed in this webinar:

SdAbs which bind to SARS-CoV-2 have been identified from both naive library and llama challenge.

SdAbs target two broad epitopes, highlighting the role of E484 in first-generation agents.

It is possible to make two formulations that showed potency in a hamster therapeutic model.

Webinar Recording

Speaker

Dr. James H Naismith

Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute,
Professor of Structural Biology at the University of Oxford

After obtaining his Ph.D., Dr. Naismith moved to Dallas, Texas, for a two-year post-doc in the lab of Dr. Steve Sprang, where his major research was to determine the structure of the TNF receptor. Dr. Naismith returned to the UK in 1995, where he set up his lab at the University of St Andrews. Over 23 years, his lab has determined the mechanism and structures of many proteins, including membrane proteins. In 2017 Dr. Naismith moved to Oxford. In 2019, he became the director of the new Rosalind Franklin Institute and started work on sdAbs at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Naismith's lab has been recognized with many awards, notably the election to the Royal Society in 2014.

We are offering highly customized CRO services to assist your Single Domain Antibody (sdAb) related projects. Please Contact Us for more details.