COVID-19: Nasal antibody spray could be ‘future’ of vaccines, experts says

Researchers found that nanobodies, a smaller form of antibody developed by llamas and camels, could effectively target the virus that causes COVID-19 infections.

The use of a nasal spray to administer a new COVID-19 treatment, developed from tiny llama antibodies, could potentially be the future of administering vaccines and protecting against infectious diseases, according to some experts.

Researchers at the Rosalind Franklin Institute in the U.K. have found that nanobodies, a smaller form of antibody developed by llamas and camels, could effectively target the virus that causes COVID-19 infections.

In a statement, researchers at the institute said that they were able to create nanobodies by injecting a part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into a llama called Fifi.

While Fifi herself did not get sick, the introduction of the spike protein — the part of the virus responsible for binding it to human cells — triggered her immune system to generate nanobodies to fight off the virus’ protein.

Researchers took a sample of Fifi’s blood, extracted four nanobodies from it and engineered it in a laboratory setting into chains of three that were able to neutralize variants of the virus — including the original and Alpha variant. A fourth nanobody chain was able to neutralize the Beta variant as well.

Scientists said the cheaper and easier to use nanobodies do not have to be stored in cold storage like the COVID-19 vaccines and could be administered through a nasal spray.

“While vaccines have proven extraordinarily successful, not everyone responds to vaccination and immunity can wane in individuals at different times,” said Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute.

“Having medications that can treat the virus is still going to be very important, particularly as not all of the world is being vaccinated at the same speed and there remains a risk of new variants capable of bypassing vaccine immunity emerging.”