Abstract
Mass-vaccination against COVID-19 is still a distant goal for most low-to-middle income countries. The experience gained through decades producing polyclonal immunotherapeutics (such as antivenoms) in many of those countries is being redirected to develop similar products able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study we analyzed the biological activity (viral neutralization or NtAb) and immunochemical properties of hyperimmune horses’ sera (HHS) obtained during initial immunization (I) and posterior re-immunization (R) cycles using the RBD domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as antigen. HHS at the end of the R cycle showed higher NtAb titers when compared to those after the I cycle (35,585 vs. 7000 mean NtAb, respectively). Moreover, this increase paralleled an increase in avidity (95.2% to 65.2% mean avidity units, respectively). The results presented herein are relevant for manufacturers of these therapeutic tools against COVID-19.
Highlights
Since the end of 2019, healthcare systems all around the world are highly stressed due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
Until vaccine availability for mass vaccination becomes a reality around the world, combined to the emergence of highly infective variants, it could be stated that therapeutic agents will continue at the center of the fight against this disease
All reports on anti-SARS-CoV-2 Hyperimmunized horses’ plasma (HHP) preparation analyze and describe initial hyperimmunization cycles on reduced groups of no more than five production animals
Summary
Since the end of 2019, healthcare systems all around the world are highly stressed due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. During HHP production, horses are hyperimmunized with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virions or selected viral subunits in order to achieve high titers of neutralizing circulating antibodies [10,11,12,13,14]. All reports on anti-SARS-CoV-2 HHP preparation analyze and describe initial hyperimmunization cycles on reduced groups of no more than five production animals.
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