Alpaca your bags, coronavirus.
The race to find effective coronavirus treatments has led to an unlikely hero: a 4-year-old Belgian llama named Winter, whose antibodies show promise in blocking the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 from infecting cells.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, the National Institutes of Health and Ghent University in Belgium began researching llama blood four years ago while looking for antibodies to fight the 2003 SARS virus and the 2012 MERS virus, which are also coronaviruses. And members of the camel family, such as llamas and alpacas, produce two types of antibodies to detect bacteria and viruses: one similar to human antibodies, as well as smaller antibodies called nanobodies that are about a quarter of the size. And these nanobodies are not only easier for scientists to work with, but they can also be nebulized and used in an inhaler.
So what is it about tiny llama antibodies that make them a coronavirus killer? The coronavirus gets its name for having a corona, or crown shape, which is formed by protein spikes that let the virus break into healthy host cells. But the preliminary research finds that the petite antibodies from Winter’s blood (which were used to engineer a new antibody) can bind onto the coronavirus spikes, and block the virus from infecting cells.
“This is one of the first antibodies known to neutralize SARS-CoV-2,” said Jason McLellan, associate professor of molecular biosciences at UT Austin and co-senior author, in a statement.
The research team reported its early findings in the journal Cell on Tuesday. The paper is a “pre-proof” that has been peer-reviewed, but is still undergoing final formatting.
Meet Winter, the 4-year-old llama fighting COVID-19.
The researchers are preparing for preclinical studies in animals such as hamsters or nonhuman primates next, and hope to advance to human trials by the end of the year. The goal is to develop a treatment to help people soon after becoming infected with the virus. Bert Schepens, who led the Belgian arm of the research team, told Reuters that negotiations are under way with pharmaceutical companies.
“Vaccines have to be given a month or two before infection to provide protection,” McLellan explained in a statement. “With antibody therapies, you’re directly giving somebody the protective antibodies and so, immediately after treatment, they should be protected. The antibodies could also be used to treat somebody who is already sick to lessen the severity of the disease.”
Winter was first drafted to battle coronaviruses in 2016, when at nine months old she was immunized with spike proteins from MERS and SARS to create antibodies against those diseases. Researchers then drew her blood and isolated her antibodies. One neutralized SARS, and another showed potential for neutralizing MERS. She’s currently living on a farm in the Belgian countryside with about 130 other llamas and alpacas.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 3.68 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, and at least 257,793 deaths, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.21 million people have recovered. The U.S. continues to have the highest case toll in the world at 1.20 million, and the highest death count at 71,078.
Now how many llama viruses are then going to transfer to humans who get this vaccine? I don’t believe any virus has jumped species and infected humans. At least, not without the help of other humans with their use of vaccines.
The Spanish flu, according the CDC and NIH studies and autopsies performed, show it wasn’t the flu but bacterial pneumonia. The pandemic followed vaccine research at Ft. Riley in which the “scientists” injected a meningitis vaccine, which had been grown in horses, into soldiers as a trial. Those soldiers traveled all over Europe during WWI. And the “scientists” also sent their “serum” to Europe for their soldiers.
Meningitis causes bacterial pneumonia. And the infection was described by doctors treating the patients as “strangling” the victims’ lungs in their own fluids. Well guess what? Horses have a coronavirus called the Strangles. So besides giving these soldier meningitis, they gave them the horse coronavirus and 99.8 percent of the victims died of bacterial pneumonia. Then these “science gods” turned around and used the SAME horses for civilian vaccines, thereby, spreading meningitis and horse coronavirus all around the country along with whatever “poison,” “as they called it,” through every vaccine they administered.
These evil people know what they’re doing and they’re doing it anyway and killing people with these vaccines. They should all be hung by the neck til dead.
Amen VV. The human species is screwing with things we should leave alone.
Profit Corrupts. ALL fields of science are in dire straits. consider this symposium, which happened just before the lockdowns hit. [youtube
This article did not make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Some scientists have warned of the dangers of using material from animals.
What they going to do do bleed her dry? Also will you get an urge to hum and spit when you get pissed off after getting some of these antibodies? Thank you I’ll pass.
A few years back I was given a medical briefing by US Army medics. At the time the Army was giving out a series of MANDATORY anthrax vaccinations to both soldiers and civilians before going on deployments to ME warzones. During the briefing one of the medics stated anthrax actually took three different forms and the vaccine was only truly effective against ONE FORM. His admission set off a grumbling murmur of discontent among the soldiers.
Amazingly enough this enlisted guy was challenged by his own fellow medics right in front of the soldiers for telling the truth and being candid. I took the shot anyway, as did many others, but as time wore on the “mandatory” requirement for anthrax shots was dropped.
During another medical processing at Fort Benning I watched a first-timer going overseas take no less than 14 individual shots in his right arm. A few minutes after doing so he was in a T-shirt and visibly sweating as his body reacted to the various injections. I had to take only four, two of which were useless – cholera and yellow fever.
So all the llamas in the whole wide world were just found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. They were all ruled suicides. Big pharma strikes again.