A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* describes how monoclonal antibodies raised against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are affected by mutations in the antibody binding site. This finding could help design newer and better monoclonal antibodies that retain neutralization activity against the virus.
Background
SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused the deaths of over 4.4 million lives worldwide, thus making it the greatest pandemic since 1918. To date, there are no specific antivirals available to treat SARS-CoV-2. As a result, the research community has turned to repurposing drugs and developing monoclonal antibodies to fight the virus.
