Antibody fragment VH ab6: universal neutralizer for SARS-CoV-2 variants

Abstract

The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has highlighted the inadequacy of our ability to respond to newly emerging viruses. Antiviral medications are the most effective means of combating the pandemic, yet their diminishing efficacy and a large population of unvaccinated individuals will create a fertile environment for the virus’s propagation and the emergence of novel variants, posing an ongoing risk of infection for vulnerable populations with compromised immune systems. To treat those infected, effective treatments must be developed. In this review, we discuss a breakthrough in engineered antibody fragments that could provide a protective barrier against the onslaught of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants as well as future other viral infections.