Antibodies from Llamas Could Help in Fight Against COVID-19

April 29, 2020 • by Marc Airhart

Close-up of a llama's face

Scientists were inspired by antibodies produced by this llama, named Winter, to develop their antibody against SARS-CoV-2. Winter is four years old and still living on a farm in the Belgian countryside operated by Ghent University’s Vlaams Institute for Biotechnology. Photo credit: Tim Coppens.

A mushroom-shaped spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 bound to an antibody derived from llamas

Inspired by a special kind of antibody produced by llamas, researchers created an antibody dubbed VHH-72Fc (blue) that binds tightly to the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 (pink, green and orange), blocking the virus from infecting cells in culture. The spike protein structure was discovered by part of the same research team and published in the journal Science on February 19, 2020. Image credit: University of Texas at Austin.

Several llamas standing in a field

Scientists were inspired by antibodies produced by the llama in front, named Winter, to develop their antibody against SARS-CoV-2. Winter is four years old and still living on a farm in the Belgian countryside operated by Ghent University’s Vlaams Institute for Biotechnology. Photo credit: Tim Coppens.

Share