The Berlin Charité gives hope for a "passive vaccination" against the coronavirus.
Researchers have discovered "highly effective" antibodies.
Researchers at the
Berlin Charité
have apparently discovered promising
antibodies
against the
coronavirus *
.
The antibodies could well be used to protect even sick people.
Research is currently being carried out on hamsters.
Munich / Berlin - Berlin researchers say they have discovered "highly effective"
antibodies *
against the
coronavirus *
.
The scientists from the
Charité
and the
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
are now following the development of a so-called passive vaccination, as the Charité announced on Thursday.
Antibodies could then be administered to provide immediate protection - preventively or even for those who are already ill.
The researchers isolated almost 600 different antibodies from the blood of people who
have survived
corona disease *
.
Particularly effective specimens could then be artificially reproduced.
According to the information, they bind to the virus, preventing it from entering cells and multiplying.
Coronavirus: research on hamsters shows effectiveness
Studies on hamsters showed the effectiveness.
"If the antibodies were administered after an
infection *
, the hamsters developed mild symptoms at best," explained the coordinator of the research project,
Jakob Kreye
.
With preventive administration of the antibodies, the animals do not become ill in the first place.
According to the Charité, three of the antibodies identified so far for clinical development are particularly promising.
The researchers work with the company
Miltenyi Biotec
.
In addition to the treatment of sick people, the precautionary protection of healthy people who have had contact with infected people is a possible application.
Passive vaccination against corona: finished antibodies could be administered
The difference to an active vaccination is that with the
passive vaccination *
ready-made antibodies are administered that are broken down after a certain time.
As a rule, protection through passive vaccination is less permanent than through active one.
"For this, the effect of a passive vaccination is almost immediately available; with an active vaccination, it has to build up first," it said.
(AFP) * merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
List of rubric lists: © Christophe Gateau / dpa