![\"Antibodies\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/files\/2020\/04\/fusion-medical-animation-EAgGqOiDDMg-unsplashnew-1920x1080.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAntibodies are produced by the body\u2019s immune system that\u00a0recognise viruses like SARS-2-CoV\u00a0<\/strong>and bind to such structures as those on the\u00a0surface of a virus\u00a0<\/strong>(Spike proteins), to block the virus entry and\u00a0instruct the immune system to destroy it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A panel of antibodies that\u00a0might bind to proteins<\/strong>\u00a0from the SARS-2-CoV coronavirus have already been identified from people infected with the\u00a02003 SARS coronavirus<\/strong>. These antibodies bind to\u00a0highly pathogenic coronaviruses<\/strong>, including SARS-2-CoV.<\/p>\n The research will seek\u00a0to develop a\u00a0potential antibody therapy<\/strong>, with the aim of progressing the therapy\u00a0to be ready for clinical trials<\/strong>. These trials will determine if the developed therapies can\u00a0treat coronavirus infections<\/strong>\u00a0including COVID-19.<\/p>\n For this project, Kent will be working alongside\u00a0Hong Kong University<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0National Institute for Biological Standards and Control<\/strong>, as well as Imperial College.<\/p>\n Positive results<\/strong>\u00a0from this research could\u00a0include vital breakthroughs<\/strong>\u00a0in actions against the virus, putting the NHS in a stronger position via access to\u00a0potential antibody therapeutics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Kent\u2019s Principal Investigator\u00a0Dr Nigel Temperton<\/strong>, based in the\u00a0Medway School of Pharmacy<\/strong>\u00a0said of the project: \u2018I am very excited to be part of this consortium where\u00a0I will be using SARS-2-CoV pseudotypes<\/strong>\u00a0(safe mimics of the real virus)\u00a0to screen panels of antibodies<\/strong>\u00a0for those that can cross-react with a range of pathogenic coronaviruses\u00a0including those responsible for COVID-19<\/strong>.\u2019<\/p>\n Professor Philippe De Wilde<\/strong>, Deputy Vice-Chancellor\u00a0Research<\/a>\u00a0& Innovation at Kent said: \u2018The University of Kent has\u00a0very strong research groups<\/strong>\u00a0in Pharmacy (Medway School of Pharmacy<\/a>, joint with the University of Greenwich) and\u00a0Biosciences<\/a>. These groups are focusing their efforts on\u00a0helping the NHS and government agencies<\/strong>\u00a0during the current crisis. The University of Kent has supported this research for years, and I am glad that we have the knowledge and the researchers available to\u00a0contribute to the national effort<\/strong>.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"