Antibodies In Ex-SARS Patients Can Help Develop Booster Vaccine Jab Tackling All Covid-19 Variants
Though our existing vaccines have proven effective against current Covid-19 strains, their effectiveness against new variants is still uncertain.
Moderna Vaccine May Be Better Against Delta Variant Than Pfizer’s: Reuters
However, a recent study by Duke-NUS researchers appears to have made headway in this area.
The study reportedly found that patients who had recovered from SARS developed antibodies against Covid-19 and other potential coronavirus types after receiving 2 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Researchers are now finding ways to create a booster shot that will confer similar protection to others.
Measured antibodies in body before & after jab
According to the article in The New England Journal Of Medicine, the study involved 28 individuals with different experiences with the SARS (Sars-CoV-1) and Covid-19 viruses (Sars-CoV-2):
- 8 people who recovered from SARS
- 10 people who recovered from Covid-19
- 10 people with no past coronavirus infections
Studying these individuals’ antibodies, researchers looked at their respective responses before and after receiving their vaccine doses.
Antibodies can pave way to making the ideal booster vaccine jab
Particularly interesting results were observed in those who had recovered from SARS.
Before receiving the vaccine, the individuals had little to no antibodies against the Covid-19 virus. However, they did already have antibodies against the SARS virus.
It wasn’t until they had received both Pfizer-BioNTech doses that researchers found Covid-19 antibodies in these individuals.
They also detected antibodies that could protect against other coronaviruses that may be transmissible from animals to humans.
These include coronavirus variants that have yet to emerge.
With these findings, the researchers are looking to develop a booster shot that will confer similar protection against current and future coronavirus variants.
Additionally, the team is looking to come up with a treatment for Covid-19 using the antibodies detected in the ex-SARS patients.
Seeking participants for future studies
Despite the breakthrough, the team is still on the lookout for more candidates to participate in their study.
They’re also seeking recovered SARS patients who have received other forms of Covid-19 vaccines, such as those produced by Sinovac and Moderna, reports The Straits Times (ST).
Hope the results will pave the way for more breakthroughs
Kudos to the Duke-NUS team for the medical breakthrough.
Hopefully, the findings will pave the way for a booster shot that will provide comprehensive protection against all kinds of coronaviruses.
If you know anyone who might be interested in participating in the study, tag them in the comments.
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Featured image adapted from National Cancer Institute on Unsplash and MCAT.
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