Antibodies for COVID-19 - which, when and how long?

Area of Science:

• Virology and Immunology
• Drug Discovery and Development

Background:

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) causes COVID-19, with disease severity linked to the host immune response, particularly cytokine storms.
• Viral entry involves binding to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and priming of the spike protein by host serine proteases.

Discussion:

• Existing drug repurposing efforts for anti-coronavirus activity have yielded limited success.
• Vaccines have been largely successful, but challenges remain, including limited benefits from convalescent plasma and monoclonal antibodies, and the emergence of Long-COVID syndrome.

Key Insights:

• Blocking both viral entry proteases is a potential therapeutic strategy.
• A liposomal blend of natural flavonoids, luteolin and quercetin, is investigated for its ability to inhibit these proteases.

Outlook:

• Further research into flavonoid-based therapies could offer new treatments for COVID-19 and Long-COVID.
• Targeting viral entry mechanisms presents a promising avenue for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against coronaviruses.