Scientists Identify Antibodies To Counter Omicron, Say Third Dose "Really Helpful"

The scientists at the University of Washington School of Medicine in the US have identified antibodies that can counter the infection of the Omicron variant and other such variants of the coronavirus.

As per reports, the said antibodies will target the areas that remain unchanged as the virus mutates. The research was published in Nature journal and it may help design antibody treatments and vaccines that are effective against the variants in the future.

Antibodies For Omicron:

David Veesler, an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in the US said, "This finding tells us that by focusing on antibodies that target these highly conserved sites on the spike protein, there is a way to overcome the virus’ continual evolution." Reportedly the Omicron variant has 37 mutations in its spike protein which is an unusual number. The mutations are used by the variant to enter the human cells and cause damage. This can be the reason why the Omicron variant has been spreading so rapidly and has been infecting fully vaccinated people and the ones who were already infected in the past.

Suggested Reading: AstraZeneca And Oxford University To Develop Vaccine For Omicron

Veesler added, "The main questions we were trying to answer were: how has this constellation of mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant affected its ability to bind to cells and to evade the immune system’s antibody responses."  The scientists have made a virus just like the coronavirus to affect its mutations. The engineered virus is disabled and has nonreplicating virus. It is called pseudovirus. Then the researchers made psuedoviruses which has spike proteins with the Omicron mutations and the ones found in the earliest variants of the cornovirus.

In order to understand the impact of Omicron variant as compared to the older variants identified during the pandemic, antibodies from previously infected patients, vaccinated patients was used. It was found that antibodies from the ones infected with the earlier strains (delta among others) and the vaccinated people had reduced ability to stop infection.

The ones who were infected with the virus first and then gotten the vaccines also showed low immunity against infection but they were found five times stronger that the earlier lot. It proved that getting the vaccine after getting infected is far more useful. Veesler also stated that getting the third dose of vaccine is "really really helpful" against Omicron. It was because the research that those who had taken the third dose had very less reduction in immunity.