Site-directed neutralizing antibodies targeting structural sites on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

N Biotechnol. 2023 Dec 19:S1871-6784(23)00072-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2023.12.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACT'Epivolve' (epitope evolution) is an innovative paratope-evolving technology using a haptenated peptide or protein immunogen as a means of directing the in vivo immune response to specifically targeted sites at a one amino acid residue resolution. Guided by protein structural analysis, Epivolve technology was tested to develop site-directed neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) in a systematic fashion against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). Thirteen solvent-exposed sites covering the ACE2 receptor-binding interface were targeted. Immunogens composed of each targeted site were used to immunize rabbits in separate cohorts. In vivo site-directed immune responses against all 13 targets were demonstrated by B cell secreted IgG and recombinant IgG testing. One site, SL13 (Y505) which mutates from tyrosine to histidine in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, was chosen as a proof-of-concept (PoC) model for further functional monoclonal antibody development. Epivolve technology demonstrated the capabilities of generating pan-variant antibodies and nAbs against the SARS-CoV-2 primary strain and the Omicron variant.PMID:38128698 | DOI:10.1016/j.nbt.2023.12.004

Source: New Biotechnology - December 21, 2023 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Xiaofeng Li Liudmila Kulakova Eric A Toth Kezzia Jones Thomas R Fuerst Michael P Weiner Source Type: research