Publications
- SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant causes mild pathology in the upper and lower respiratory tract of hamsters. Armando F, Beythien G, Kaiser FK, Allnoch L, Heydemann L, Rosiak M, Becker S, Gonzalez-Hernandez M, Lamers MM, Haagmans BL, Guilfoyle K, van Amerongen G, Ciurkiewicz M, Osterhaus ADME, Baumgärtner W. Nature Communications, 2022 Jun 20;13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31200-y
- Du W, Hurdiss DL, Drabek D, Mykytyn AZ, Kaiser FK, González-Hernández M, Muñoz-Santos D, Lamers MM, van Haperen R, Li W, Drulyte I, Wang C, Sola I, Armando F, Beythien G, Ciurkiewicz M, Baumgärtner W, Guilfoyle K, Smits T, van der Lee J, van Kuppeveld FJM, van Amerongen G, Haagmans BL, Enjuanes L, Osterhaus ADME, Grosveld F, Bosch BJ. Science Immunology, 2022 Jul 29;7(73). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.abp9312
In vivo testing of human monoclonal antibodies in a hamster model
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Albert Osterhaus
Antibodies represent a unique and highly adaptive option for the development of customised therapeutics. The natural healing of viral infections or effective protection against reinfection is crucially supported by highly effective virus-neutralising antibodies. Preclinical testing of different human or humanised antibodies in suitable hamster models with the respective SARS-CoV-2 VOCs was successfully performed as a first step towards the development of SARS-CoV-2-VN HuMabs for clinical use.
Key area
- Antiviral strategies: agents and vaccines, antibodies
Who is involved?
- Prof. Dr. Albert Osterhaus (Project leader, TiHo)
- Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kalinke (TWINCORE)
What is the aim?
The main objective is to individually test SARS-CoV-2 neutralising human monoclonal antibodies (VN-HuMabs) in their ability to prevent SARS-CoV-2 lung infection and clinical disease upon preventive and post-exposure administration in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is a first step towards the development of SARS-CoV-2 VN HuMabs for clinical use.