What if a llama named Winter held the key to stopping future pandemics? Scientists have just discovered ultrapotent antibodies from llamas that neutralize a wide range of coronaviruses — and may even block those yet to come.
Key Points at a Glance
- New class of llama-derived antibodies neutralizes SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and future variants
- Antibodies target a conserved region of the spike protein critical to infection
- Mode of action prevents viral entry by clamping the spike protein shut
- Strong protection observed in lab animals, with rare resistance mutations
In a breakthrough that could transform how we fight current and future coronavirus outbreaks, researchers in Belgium have identified a unique class of nanobodies from llamas that disarm the virus with astonishing effectiveness. The findings, published in Nature Communications, reveal that these single-domain antibodies can neutralize not only past and current SARS-CoV-2 variants but also other related viruses like SARS-CoV-1.
What sets these nanobodies apart is their target: a deeply hidden and highly conserved part of the virus’s spike protein — the molecular key that coronaviruses use to unlock and enter our cells. While most current antibody therapies go after the virus’s receptor binding domain — a part prone to frequent mutation — these llama nanobodies zero in on the S2 subunit, a structurally stable region essential for the virus’s ability to infect.
Led by Prof. Xavier Saelens and Dr. Bert Schepens at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, the team collaborated with several research centers under the VIB umbrella and relied on a llama named Winter to generate the potent antibodies. Llamas naturally produce smaller antibodies known as VHHs or nanobodies — and these tiny tools are proving to be mighty virus fighters.
“They act like molecular clamps,” explained Dr. Schepens. “By locking onto this concealed portion of the spike protein, they freeze the virus in its original shape. Without the ability to morph, the virus simply can’t infect cells.”
The effect isn’t just theoretical. In laboratory tests on animals, the nanobodies provided robust protection — even at low doses. When researchers tried to force the virus to evolve resistance, it struggled. Any rare variants that managed to escape the clamp were so weakened, they lost their infectious edge.
“This region of the virus is so essential to its function that it can’t mutate easily without damaging itself,” said Schepens. “That gives us a rare opportunity — a target that’s both vital and stable.”
In a viral world that keeps mutating, such a fixed target is like gold dust. It offers a path toward broad-spectrum treatments that can stay ahead of the virus’s evolutionary curve. The combination of potency, breadth, and a high resistance barrier makes these llama nanobodies one of the most promising tools yet in pandemic preparedness.
“We’re laying the groundwork for next-generation antivirals,” said Prof. Saelens. “The more we can understand and weaponize these rare, conserved viral weak spots, the better prepared we’ll be — not just for the next COVID wave, but for the next coronavirus entirely.”
The work was supported by the Research Foundation – Flanders, the EOS programme, EU Horizon 2021, and Exevir Bio BV. As the research moves forward, scientists aim to translate these findings into scalable, deployable therapies that could change the game in global viral defense.
Source: VIB
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