Engineered llama antibodies
Engineered llama antibodies
Researchers have developed a family of engineered nanobodies that neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus, targeting the viral spike protein in a novel way.
The team from The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Diamond Light Source, the University of Oxford and Public Health England have hailed the breakthrough as a potential therapy, which could be delivered as part of a combination in a synthetic convalescent serum.
The nanobodies could also be developed as a diagnostic, taking advantage of their very high specificity and affinity.
CE mark for kit
LGC SeraCare has said the AccuPlex SARS-CoV-2 Reference Material Kit v2 is now CE-marked for in vitro diagnostic use (CE-IVD).
With this change in regulatory status, the new product name is AccuPlex SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Controls Kit. Bearing the CE mark and IVD symbol signifies that the AccuPlex SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Controls Kit meets extensive design control requirements.
The technology mimics wild-type pathogenic viruses, but is safe, non-infectious and replication deficient.
Daily risk list
Flow chemistry engineering firm Vapourtec has launched a “COVID-19 hotspot tracker” aimed at helping to identify high-risk areas for businesses and individuals as the nation begins to return to normality and local travel increases.
Developed by Vapourtec software engineers, the “league table” encompasses all of the local authorities across England and is updated daily, presenting the latest reported cases of COVID-19 per million of the population.
Picture Credit | Rosalind Franklin Institute
