US Scientists have discovered and tested an antibody that reduces the severity of infections caused by a variety of coronaviruses, including the ones that cause COVID-19 and SARS. The antibody was isolated by analysing blood from a patient who had been infected with the SARS-CoV-1 virus, which caused the SARS outbreak, and a current COVID-19 patient, according to the study, which was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Tuesday.

"This antibody has the potential to be a therapeutic for the current epidemic," said study co-senior author and Duke University Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI) director Barton Haynes. "If or when other coronaviruses jump from their natural animal hosts to humans, it could be available for future outbreaks," Haynes said. The researchers discovered over 1,700 antibodies, which are produced by the immune system to bind to specific sites on viruses and prevent them from infecting cells.

Many binding cites are altered or eliminated when viruses mutate, rendering antibodies ineffective, according to the researchers. The researchers did point out, however, that despite mutations, there are often sites on the virus that remain unchanged. Antibodies that target these sites were chosen because they have the potential to be highly effective across different virus lineages.

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