Researchers: “Nanobody” Has Potential As Antiviral

Courthouse News reports:

Researchers in Sweden have identified a small neutralizing antibody that has the capacity to block the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, from entering human cells. In a paper published Friday in Nature Communications, the researchers propose that the nanobody has the potential to be developed as an antiviral treatment.

Single-domain antibodies, also known as nanobodies, are fragments of antibodies that occur naturally in camelids such as camels, alpacas and llamas. Unlike the antibody molecules in most species, camelid antibodies are very specific and can be broken down into nanobodies which target a specific molecule and bind to it.

Read the full article. Research involving alpacas has been underway in several countries.