New SARS-CoV-1 antibody available for vaccine researchers
A collaboration between PATH, Baylor College of Medicine and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has made a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for SARS-CoV-1 available to researchers globally. This mAb can support the development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-1 and its evolving variants, as well as future characterization of novel and multivalent coronavirus vaccines.
SARS-CoV-1, responsible for the 2003 SARS outbreak and a cousin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, is a respiratory virus with a high mortality rate. There currently is no licensed vaccine to protect against the disease, despite its pandemic potential. In addition, there are limited SARS-CoV-1 specific antibodies available for vaccine development or therapeutic indications.
Through this collaboration, scientists from Baylor produced high-quality recombinant SARS-CoV-1 RBD proteins, vaccinated mice, and tested selected mAbs for their functionality. The use of various techniques to characterize the binding sites and pseudovirus neutralization helped establish a toolbox of mAbs with identified key epitopes within the RBD and discriminate vaccine antigens. Selected hybridoma cultures were shipped to PATH for further screening and down-selection, validation, scale-up production, and distribution. Manufacturers can potentially use the resulting mAb to quantify SARS-CoV-1 spike protein in complex vaccine formulations. These efforts were conducted by:
• Dr. Jeroen Pollet, associate professor in pediatric tropical medicine at Baylor;
• Dr. Wen-Hsiang Chen, associate professor in pediatric tropical medicine at Baylor;
• Dr. Uli Strych, associate professor in pediatric tropical medicine at Baylor and director for strategic initiatives and program development of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development; and
• Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, senior associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor and co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development.
“Access to well-characterized reference antibodies is essential for evaluating the much-needed emerging pan-coronavirus vaccine candidates and ensuring consistent product development across laboratories,” Strych said. “We are pleased that this collaboration has made this resource broadly available to support coronavirus vaccine research worldwide.”
A full characterization report will be provided along with the antibody, detailing the specificity across different antigens and vaccine formats, based on data produced by Baylor and PATH.
To help ensure equitable access, the antibody generated is available for a small handling charge and the cost of shipping for use by vaccine researchers and manufacturers who are developing vaccines for use in countries with low- and middle-income economies. Providing these open resources is one component of PATH’s ongoing work with partners to advance the development of vaccines that are low-cost, broadly protective and tailored for use in low-resource settings.
The SARS-CoV-1 antibody is available from MHRA via its online repository and distribution center. Visit www.nibsc.org or contact cidr@mhra.gov.uk.
“Making this antibody available to the global vaccine development and manufacturing community – at minimal cost for vaccines targeted toward low-resource economies – can help clear hurdles and accelerate efforts to bring a SARS-CoV-1 vaccine to market,” said Dr. Jessica White, PATH senior scientist, Vaccine Formulation. “Though the COVID-19 pandemic is over, coronaviruses have not gone away and this will be a helpful too for future pandemic responses. PATH is proud to be part of this fruitful collaboration and to be supporting researchers in their work to expand coronavirus vaccine development.”
PATH, Baylor and the MHRA previously collaborated to make SARS-CoV-2 antibodies specific to the Wuhan, Omicron, and Delta variants available to researchers.
Funding for SARS-CoV-1 antibody development was provided to PATH from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.