A scinetist is doing research on a vaccine against COVID-19 in Shanghai.Photo:Yang Hui/GT

Chinese researchers have found a human neutralizing antibody targeting the receptor binding site of SARS-CoV-2, publishing their results on the Nature website on Tuesday. The discovery moves forward China's efforts to ramp up its independent research and development of an antibody drug to fight COVID-19. 

The article puts forward for the first time that a specific, human neutralizing monoclonal antibody can effectively cure and prevent the SARS-CoV-2 infection in a non-human primate, according to the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). 

"It is an antibody drug with great clinical application prospects independently researched and developed by CAS. A patent application has been made and the product has entered a rapid industrialization process," according to a post on the website of the Institute of Microbiology. 

The significant research paper was co-published by teams from the Institute of Microbiology led by Yan Jinghua, Gao Fu and Wang Qihui, together with Beijing Ditan Hospital, the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, and other institutes. 

Teams at the Institute of Microbiology began relevant research work in mid-January, separating and identifying dozens of human neutralizing antibody genes from serum taken from recovered COVID-19 patients. Two antibodies appeared to have the ability to weaken viral activity.  

Experiment results show that a human neutralizing antibody is able to fully interrupt transmission of COVID-19 and has a preventative effect. It was found that the antibody can greatly decrease the viral load in the respiratory tract of infected rhesus monkeys. 

A technology transfer has been completed for the development of the antibody and a clinical trial application has been made, moving forward its industrialization. 

By 10 am on Wednesday, the number confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide had surpassed 5.65 million. More than 350,000 people have died of COVID-19. 

Global Times