Anti-SARS-CoV-2 equine F (Ab ')(2) immunoglobulin as a possible therapy for COVID-19

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Botosso, Viviane Fongaro ; Calil Jorge, Soraia Attie ; Astray, Renato Mancini ; de Sa Guimaraes, Ana Marcia ; Mathor, Monica Beatriz ; de Carneiro, Patricia dos Santos ; Durigon, Edison Luiz ; Covas, Dimas ; Leal de Oliveira, Danielle Bruna ; Oliveira, Ricardo das Neves ; Maria, Durvanei Augusto ; Eto, Silas Fernandes ; Frazatti Gallina, Neuza Maria ; Pidde, Giselle ; Squaiella-Baptistao, Carla Cristina ; Silva, Dilza Trevisan ; Villas-Boas, Isadora Maria ; Fernandes, Dayanne Carla ; Vatti Auada, Aline Vivian ; Banari, Alexandre Campos ; de Souza Filho, Antonio Francisco ; Bianconi, Camila ; de Agostini Utescher, Carla Lilian ; Andre Oliveira, Denise Cristina ; Ceolin Mariano, Douglas Oscar ; Barbosa, Flavia Ferreira ; Rondon, Giuliana ; Kapronezai, Josana ; da Silva, Juliana Galvao ; Goldfeder, Mauricio Barbugiani ; Comone, Priscila ; Castilho Junior, Regis Edgar ; Silva Pereira, Taiana Taina ; Wen, Fan Hui ; Tambourgi, Denise, V ; Chudzinski-Tavassi, Ana Marisa

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 12, n. 1, p. 17-pg., 2022-03-10.

Abstract

The new outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected and caused the death of millions of people worldwide. Intensive efforts are underway around the world to establish effective treatments. Immunoglobulin from immunized animals or plasma from convalescent patients might constitute a specific treatment to guarantee the neutralization of the virus in the early stages of infection, especially in patients with risk factors and a high probability of progressing to severe disease. Worldwide, a few clinical trials using anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins from horses immunized with the entire spike protein or fragments of it in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 are underway. Here, we describe the development of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 equine F(ab ')(2) immunoglobulin using a newly developed SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen that was purified and inactivated by radiation. Cell-based and preclinical assays showed that the F(ab ')(2) immunoglobulin successfully neutralizes the virus, is safe in animal models, and reduces the severity of the disease in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/26450-2 - Molecular characterization of the interactions among ticks, rickettsiae and vertebrate hosts
• Grantee: Sirlei Daffre
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/11513-1 - Determination of the differential proteome and lipidome of Amblyomma aureolatum ticks in response to Rickettsia rickettsii infection
• Grantee: Andréa Cristina Fogaça
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/07251-2 - Evaluation of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) as model of infection and disease by SARS-CoV-2
• Grantee: Ana Marcia de Sá Guimarães
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/09149-0 - Evaluation of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) as an experimental model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease
• Grantee: Antonio Francisco de Souza Filho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/07467-1 - CeTICS - Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling
• Grantee: Hugo Aguirre Armelin
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 18/04609-3 - Comparative study of the infection dynamics of species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in human macrophages using RNA-Seq
• Grantee: Alexandre Campos Banari
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 19/27348-3 - Complement system inhibition as means for controlling inflammation associated to envenomations
• Grantee: Dayanne Carla Fernandes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 20/05293-0 - Human cells infection by coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) : search for therapeutic strategies
• Grantee: Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/12303-4 - Virus detection in snakes held captive in Butantan Institute Plantels
• Grantee: Viviane Fongaro Botosso
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants