University Of Pittsburgh Scientists Discover Biomolecule That May Neutralize Coronavirus

[Kid Berwyn]

Source: CBS News

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — University of Pittsburgh scientists have isolated a biomolecule that “completely and specifically” neutralizes the virus that causes coronavirus.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers isolated the smallest biological molecule to date that neutralizes the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a report published Monday in the journal Cell. The antibody component is 10 times smaller than a full-sized antibody and has been used to create a drug known as Ab8 for use as a therapeutic and preventative against SARS-CoV-2, the report says.

The researchers reported that Ab8 is “highly effective” in preventing and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice and hamsters.

“Ab8 not only has potential as therapy for COVID-19, but it also could be used to keep people from getting SARS-CoV-2 infections,” said co-author John Mellors, M.D., chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UPMC and Pitt, said in a release from UPMC. “Antibodies of larger size have worked against other infectious diseases and have been well tolerated, giving us hope that it could be an effective treatment for patients with COVID-19 and for protection of those who have never had the infection and are not immune.”


Read more: https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/09/15/coronavirus-university-pittsburgh-biomolecule-neutralize/

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Ray of sunshine...

[soothsayer]

1. Hey, neat!

[cyndensco]

2. That sounds exciting.

Hope trump stays way away from it.

[Guilded Lilly]

3. Great news, some new hope K&R

[Tommymac]

4. Cool. First Polio, Now maybe COVID. #PittsburghStrong

Not to mention the concussion studies & work that has been done by researchers and doctors at UPMC and The University of Pittsburgh.

We may not make much steel anymore here in Western PA, but steel is still very much embodied in our tenacity, perseverance,will to succeed, family bonds, and our compassion for and willingness to help out our neighbors.

And we are going to put Joe over the top on Nov 3.

[iluvtennis]

6. Like 👆👆👆. nt

[Bluetail]

11. Amen, my fellow yinzer!

And Hail to Pitt—H2P!

[DeminPennswoods]

21. They're also in process of testing a vaccine

It's pretty cool, goes on your finger like bandaid.

[Freedomofspeech]

23. My Alma Mater...

So proud of Pitt...their research department is tops. Our license plate is H2P Pitt.

[duforsure]

5. But trump and republicans

Don't believe in science, unless it gets them out of a jam.

[DSandra]

8. Trump needs COVID to keep Democrats away from the polls

So the scheme to get Democrats mail in votes rejected will work.

[matt819]

7. They have to stop reporting this stuff

Yes, I know, it can be a bit heartening.

And it's undoubtedly little steps that will lead to breakthroughs.

But. . . it's almost certainly a long road from small breakthroughs to vaccines, and these reports raise hopes that may not be achieved.

And, to be completely cynical, these reports are probably as much to do with securing additional funding from billionaires and governments.

[Lonestarblue]

13. I think every breakthrough should be reported.

It’s primary purpose now may be to get additional funding, but it’s that funding that supports a possible future treatment and prevention of a deadly disease. Plus, reporting this finding publicly may give other scientists clues to follow in their own research.

Since the Pittsburgh researchers are just at the initial stage of animal testing, we know there’s a long way to go to get to a final product, if indeed there ever is a final product. But it’s encouraging to know that many different, very smart scientists are working on this problem and some of that work will result in a vaccine or a treatment.

[Warpy]

9. What does it do to our cells? Friendly bugs?

Probably 90% of the stuff that looks really promising in a culture dish doesn't pan out in real life because of massive unforeseen consequences. I'd say they released this information just a little prematurely.

Oh, I hope we get lucky and it works. I hope it can go into production. I just know it's at least a year away from being useful, probably longer.

[Kid Berwyn]

17. UPMC reports it does not bind to human cells.

...The researchers report today in the journal Cell that Ab8 is highly effective in preventing and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice and hamsters. Its tiny size not only increases its potential for diffusion in tissues to better neutralize the virus, but also makes it possible to administer the drug by alternative routes, including inhalation. Importantly, it does not bind to human cells—a good sign that it won’t have negative side-effects in people...

Source: https://www.upmc.com/media/news/091420-mellors-dimitrov-covid-ab8

[Warpy]

18. It's still a long slog from in vitro to in vivo.

That's not even counting what it takes to put something like this into production.

[BlueWavePsych]

10. Great news but ...

from mice and hamsters to human trials is still years away.

[BlueIdaho]

14. Exactly!

I think it’s great these discoveries are publicized - but they need to be put into a likely timeframe to keep expectations in check.

[NoMoreRepugs]

16. A realistic Timeframe would be both informative and provide some context to the inevitable

politicization of the announcement. If something is YEARS away from POTENTIALLY providing humans a vaccine I for one think that's important to include in the mix.

[olddad65]

25. But my neighbor has a hamster. It is exciting for them.

[lastlib]

12. DAMN! Isn't it AMAZING what we can do with freakin' SCIENCE??!?

Imagine for a moment that a member of the scientific establishment marched into the state capital and declared that Shakespeare’s pre-eminence as a writer was “just a theory.” Would politicians then require comic books to be presented alongside Shakespeare? Then why should science be trivialized in this same way? The answer, unfortunately, is ignorance--ignorance mixed with blind fear, a fear that their “truth” will be supplanted or discredited by a greater “truth.”

The sad part of this is that it is so absurd. The Dark Ages ended centuries ago. What we’re debating is high-school-level biology, not Kantian philosophy. We live in an extraordinary age. High-school students can count atoms, deduce stellar spectra, measure awesome geologic ages, and manipulate with their own hands the very future of a species. Over the centuries, perhaps millions of men and women have devoted their lives to peering into the wonders of the universe, to understand, to teach, to advance our knowledge of those wonders. And after all the work, all the striving, along come these self-proclaimed religious/political gnostics who arrogantly deny that it is of any value.

Dressed in synthetic cloths, nurtured by synthetic medicines, shielded from a hostile world by the sciences that feed them, warm them, provide them with bibles, cars and computers, they sweep their preachments before them and presume to save the masses from curiosity and wonder. Their message is clear: Ignorance is salvation; scholarship is immoral; curiosity and inquiry are blasphemy.

And the ultimate cost is death--promulgated, ironically, by a party that prides itself on being "pro-life."

[calimary]

15. Hopeful.

[MissMillie]

19. Biomolecule--does that mean it's a naturally occuring substance?

If so, where does it come from? How did they find it? Can it be reproduced?

(forgive me, I was never very good at science)

It's a world-wide pandemic. If we do get to the point where we discover that it can be used safely, I just wonder if we have enough or can make enough of it.

[noneof_theabove]

20. great another unaffordable anitviral

on week 3 of 12 weeks of Epclusa for Hep-C [anti-viral]

cost of 12 weeks $90,000 [retail can be lower in some cases]

takes 2 pills [500mg] to be 1 gram so 42 grams [ 84 / 2 ]

cost per pill cost $1071.43

cost of gold on 09/15/2020 was $62.66 per gram

42 grams gold = $2,631.72

So $90,000 of Eplcuse is 34.198 times the price of gold [$90,000 / $2,631.72 ]


Don't think that a "new" antiviral for covid [maybe just renamed and/or patent of old/current stuff] will be cheap.
YES....Big Pharma has the FDA blessing of doing that.

I do have to admit between insurance and "the foundation" picking up the $3,564.91 per bottle of 28 pills [$10,694.73 total $127/pill] of copay I have a $0 cost.

Good luck with the covid pills

[DeminPennswoods]

22. FTR, Pitt also has developed a vaccine candidate

This happened early in the epidemic here in the US. I'm guessing this molecule was discovered as part of their vaccine development. Pitt does have a researcher who's been working on SARS for over a decade.

https://www.pittwire.pitt.edu/news/covid-19-vaccine-candidate-shows-promise-first-peer-reviewed-research

[Vinca]

24. Finally - a piece of good news.