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Obesity may reduce COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, say researchers

A startling indicates that obesity may reduce the immune response to the current COVID-19 vaccines, along with other factors like age and sex. This could have significant implications for vaccination strategies in obese people.

3 Mar 2021

Researchers examine long-term immune responses following COVID-19 across clinically diverse cohort

A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses the different aspects of long-term immune responses in a wide sample of patients, as well as how they vary in clinical severity and sequelae.

3 Mar 2021

Novel SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccine candidate produces strong neutralizing response in vivo

A new study by researchers at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, reports a COVID-19 vaccine candidate called HexaPro in producing neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in an animal model.

3 Mar 2021

Early antibody response predicts COVID-19 outcome

To address this gap, researchers from the U.S. evaluated the timing of antibody production against SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalized patients. They used a highly sensitive multiplexed bead-based immunoassay that allows for early detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The study is published on the preprint server medRxiv.

2 Mar 2021

Coronavirus-like nanoparticles could serve as a positive control for COVID-19 tests

Rapid COVID-19 tests are on the rise to deliver results faster to more people, and scientists need an easy, foolproof way to know that these tests work correctly and the results can be trusted. Nanoparticles that pass detection as the novel coronavirus could be just the ticket.

2 Mar 2021

Could small synthetic antigen proteins be diagnostic tools for SARS-CoV-2?

Researchers have developed small proteins from sequences in SARS-CoV-2's RBD that bind to ACE2. These were as effective in binding to neutralizing antibodies as larger RBD proteins.

2 Mar 2021

Biological activity-based modeling offers a new approach for drug discovery

Assessing a drug compound by its activity, not simply its structure, is a new approach that could speed the search for COVID-19 therapies and reveal more potential therapies for other diseases.

2 Mar 2021

Enduring antibody response observed after natural immunity and first Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine shot

Immunity gained after natural infection from the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is boosted when people take the first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to a new study led by Iain C. Chapple from the University of Birmingham.

1 Mar 2021

Comparative analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals leads to new potential treatment for COVID-19

Scientists compared the in vitro efficacy and cytotoxicity profiles of PF-00835231 and remdesivir in two human model systems for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

1 Mar 2021

Researchers evaluate surrogate large-scale SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance test

A team of international scientists has recently evaluated a surrogate virus neutralization test for severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and observed that it is highly efficacious for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in serum samples. According to the scientists, the test can be effectively used for population-level serosurveillance and evaluation of vaccine efficacy. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

1 Mar 2021

Single-dose of BNT162b2 vaccine may not be protective without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study by researchers at Imperial College London, UK, discusses the effect of a vaccine dose, specifically the BNT162b2 candidate (also known as the ‘Pfizer-BioNTech’ vaccine), on neutralizing antibody titers in individuals who have already been infected with the virus.

1 Mar 2021

Researchers assess SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination risks in hospital setting

Researchers analyzed the surface swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the infectivity in a hospital setting by both qRT-PCR and a viral culture assay. They also determined the suitability for sequence analysis and phylogenetically identifying the source of the virus.

1 Mar 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 B.1.526 variant emerges in New York

New York has the first case of a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant called B.1.526, picked up by genomic surveillance research from Columbia University. The findings come after reports of other variants have been reported worldwide — B.1.1.7 in the United Kingdom, B.1.351 in South Africa, and P.1/P.2 in Brazil.

28 Feb 2021

Repurposed drugs show antiviral SARS-CoV-2 E channel blocking activity, finds study

A new study by researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel reports the discovery of a promising group of E channel inhibitors with significant antiviral activity. This could be developed into new treatment agents for this often-deadly virus.

26 Feb 2021

Inhalable nanobody shows potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vivo

Researchers have developed a stable and ultrapotent homotrimeric Pittsburgh inhalable Nanobody 21 (PiN-21) against SARS-CoV-2 infection in Syrian hamsters. They demonstrated the high therapeutic efficacy of this homotrimeric Nb, leveraging both intranasal and aerosol delivery.

26 Feb 2021

Researchers use Doppler to look inside living cells, track their metabolic activity

Doppler radar improves lives by peeking inside air masses to predict the weather. A Purdue University team is using similar technology to look inside living cells, introducing a method to detect pathogens and treat infections in ways that scientists never have before.

26 Feb 2021

Antibody and T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 persist up to 8 months: Study of Ski Resort Ischgl

The first instance of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in Austria was observed in the Ski resort Ischgl in early March 2020. Later, the virus spread across Austria and other countries in Northern Europe.

25 Feb 2021

Canadian pilot study uses gene therapy to successfully treat patients with Fabry disease

Results of a world-first Canadian pilot study on patients treated with gene therapy for Fabry disease show that the treatment is working and safe.

25 Feb 2021

Study reports lasting immune response in convalescent COVID-19 patients

Researchers report the cellular immune response of convalescent patients in Germany, who recovered from mild or moderate infection compared to that of healthy people with no history of COVID-19.

25 Feb 2021

Novel single-particle digital assay using plasmonic nanobubbles

An interdisciplinary team from the University of Texas applied DIAMOND to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) diagnostics and demonstrated that DIAMOND is 150 times more sensitive than commercial lateral flow assays. They found that the measurements are completed within 2 minutes. The results of this study are published on the medRxiv* preprint server.

25 Feb 2021

Assay News and Research

Obesity may reduce COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, say researchers

Researchers examine long-term immune responses following COVID-19 across clinically diverse cohort

Novel SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccine candidate produces strong neutralizing response in vivo

Early antibody response predicts COVID-19 outcome

Coronavirus-like nanoparticles could serve as a positive control for COVID-19 tests

Could small synthetic antigen proteins be diagnostic tools for SARS-CoV-2?

Biological activity-based modeling offers a new approach for drug discovery

Enduring antibody response observed after natural immunity and first Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine shot

Comparative analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals leads to new potential treatment for COVID-19

Researchers evaluate surrogate large-scale SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance test

Single-dose of BNT162b2 vaccine may not be protective without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers assess SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination risks in hospital setting

New SARS-CoV-2 B.1.526 variant emerges in New York

Repurposed drugs show antiviral SARS-CoV-2 E channel blocking activity, finds study

Inhalable nanobody shows potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vivo

Researchers use Doppler to look inside living cells, track their metabolic activity

Antibody and T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 persist up to 8 months: Study of Ski Resort Ischgl

Canadian pilot study uses gene therapy to successfully treat patients with Fabry disease

Study reports lasting immune response in convalescent COVID-19 patients

Novel single-particle digital assay using plasmonic nanobubbles

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