Development of neutralizing nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

During the pandemic, Dr Ho has evaluated the challenges for developing antibody therapeutics targeting SARS-Cov-2 and wrote a review/perspective article [Ho Antibody Therapeutics 2020; PMID: 32566896]. SARS-CoV-2 gains entry to human cells through its spike (S) protein binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, the S protein is the primary target for neutralizing antibodies. In FY2022, we summarized our work on isolation of dromedary camel nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2 and published the data in PNAS [Hong et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022]. With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, there is an urgent need to develop broadly neutralizing antibodies. We isolated two VHH nanobodies (7A3 and 8A2) from dromedary camels by phage display, which have high affinity for the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and broad neutralization activities against SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants. Cryo-EM complex structures reveal that 8A2 binds the RBD in its up mode and 7A3 inhibits receptor binding by uniquely targeting a highly conserved and deeply buried site in the spike regardless of the RBD conformational state. 7A3 at a dose of 5 mg/kg efficiently protects K18-hACE2 transgenic mice from the lethal challenge of B.1.351 or B.1.617.2, suggesting that the nanobody has promising therapeutic potential to curb the COVID-19 surge with emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.