The pandemic has hit hard and intensified the crisis. How COVID-19 impacted globally cannot be measured in terms of a few numbers and figures. For example, physician Sondra Crosby shares her experience with COVID-19, the battle against hallucinations, loneliness and anxiety.
But exploring the possibilities of vaccines gets on endlessly. Recently, Australian researchers are chasing for a smaller version of the antibody known as nanobody. For this project, they selected the biological family Camelidae, that includes alpacas, llamas and camels. The animal from this family group produces two types of antibodies, the one similar to human antibodies and the other, a tiny version, called nanobody. But animals like humans produce only Y-shaped antibody to neutralize viruses. Therefore, the researchers have injected alpacas with virus particles that cause COVID-19 to produce antibodies and harvest them to introduce in humans. What makes these nanobodies so special, is its nano-size, and the extremely sticky nature that gums spike protein of the virus. Nanobody therapy is more powerful, and many of them are down the pipeline. Few of them are in final human trials for diseases like HIV. They are amazingly tiny, around 10 nanometres and almost with the width of DNA helix. Simultaneously, researchers on the other side, are focusing on monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 patients, as a short-term solution until proper vaccine arrives at the market. Scientists ambitious to inject their versions of these antibodies to deactivate the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus right away. Ironically, these molecules come with a hefty price tag making it hard for underdeveloped countries to procure.
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