Repurposing efforts conducted

The partners of the CARE consortium conducted a high throughput screening (HTS), or testing, of approximately 20,000 approved or clinically validated compounds as part of its emergency response track (pillar 1 of the research programme). The CARE research teams identified several single digit µM compounds. However, none of these were deemed beneficial for repurposing, as the identified compounds were either similar to those identified by other groups or were inappropriate for further development. The CARE consortium will consider the findings in its efforts for future pandemic preparedness (pillars 2 and 3 of the research programme) and insights gained in the other research pillars will support the emergency response moving forward.

CARE scientists identified a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody with activity against all known variants of concern

One of CARE’s approach to develop therapeutics to address the COVID-19 pandemic is the discovery of virus neutralizing antibodies. With this goal, the CARE partner Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois screened B cells from COVID-19 donors and identifyed P5C3, a highly potent and broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody with activity against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that are known to date.

The research findings suggest that P5C3 is a promissing candidate as a prophylactic agent in  immunocompromised individuals with poor response to vaccination or as combination therapy in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals.

To learn more, read the article in Cell Reports: A highly potent antibody effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.