Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc announces that it had identified hundreds of antibodies that could potentially treat the coronavirus.
“We’ve identified hundreds of virus-neutralizing antibodies from our VelocImmune technology and are now selecting the top candidates for clinical testing,” Regeneron says in a tweet.
Update on our #COVID19 novel antibody program: We’ve identified hundreds of virus-neutralizing antibodies from our VelocImmune technology and are now selecting the top candidates for clinical testing. Learn more: https://t.co/JhkedKl8yM
— Regeneron (@Regeneron) March 17, 2020
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the latest progress in its efforts to discover and develop a novel multi-antibody cocktail that can be administered as prophylaxis before exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus or as treatment for those already infected. Regeneron scientists have now isolated hundreds of virus-neutralizing, fully human antibodies from the company’s VelocImmune® mice, which have been genetically-modified to have a human immune system. Regeneron has also isolated antibodies from humans who have recovered from COVID-19, in order to maximize the pool of potentially potent antibodies. From this large pool of candidates, Regeneron will select the top two antibodies for a ‘cocktail’ treatment based on potency and binding ability to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, as well as other desirable qualities. Using a multi-antibody approach allows for targeting of different parts of the virus and may help protect against multiple viral variants. Regeneron previously used these technologies to rapidly develop a successful treatment for Ebola virus infection, which is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The company said they plan to initiate large-scale manufacturing by mid-April with antibody cocktail therapy.
Regeneron is a leading American biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases.
