Omicron variant neutralised by booster dose: Study
Jan 11, 2022
New Delhi, Jan 11 (ANI): The new Omicron variant of coronavirus is more transmissible than the Delta variant. However, its biological characteristics are still relatively unknown.In a new study supported by the European Union's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), scientists from the Institute Pasteur and the Vaccine Research Institute, in collaboration with KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium), Orleans Regional Hospital, Hospital European Georges Pompidou (AP-HP), studied the sensitivity of Omicron to antibodies compared with the currently dominant Delta variant.The aim of the study was to characterize the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies, as well as antibodies developed by individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated, in neutralizing this new variant. The scientists began by testing nine monoclonal antibodies used in clinical practice or currently in preclinical development. The antibodies Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab, Casirivimab/Imdevimab, and Regdanvima no longer had any antiviral effect against Omicron."This study shows that the Omicron variant hampers the effectiveness of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, but it also demonstrates the ability of European scientists to work together to identify challenges and potential solutions.The scientists concluded that the many mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant enabled it to largely evade the immune response.
