Researchers at UCSF and Stanford say work on isolating so-called super antibodies could be the key to a coronavirus vaccine. They say antibodies that completely neutralize the virus have been found in fewer than five-percent of COVID-19 patients and several studies have shown their blood plasma could inoculate others.
Scientists are trying to figure out exactly how the super antibodies work and how to produce enough of them. So far, they’ve found that between ten and 20% of patients show no measurable antibodies while 75% or more develop high numbers of antibodies.
The problem? They aren’t the neutralizing kind, so they might only provide temporary immunity. UCSF infectious disease specialist Dr. George Rutherford, a likens these neutralizing antibodies to preventing “the key from going into the lock” and causing infection.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle