‘AeroNabs’ Promise Powerful, Inhalable Protection Against COVID-19

Once again, invention and innovation are giving us hope during these troubling times.

UC San Francisco scientists have created a novel approach to halting the spread of the COVID-19 virus, without needles!

Michael Schoof, UCSF graduate student, led the research team that engineered a completely synthetic, production-ready molecule that prevent the SARS-CoV-2 from infecting our cells. By using nanobodies, the spikes on the COVID19 virus are disabled. Thus, AeroNabs could provide, via a nasal spray or inhaler administered once a day, reliable protection against the virus until vaccines become available.

“Far more effective than wearable forms of personal protective equipment, we think of AeroNabs as a molecular form of PPE that could serve as an important stopgap until vaccines provide a more permanent solution to COVID-19,” said AeroNabs co-inventor Peter Walter, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF

If predictions are realistic, we will be dealing with coronaviruses for a very long time and innovation that can help protect us all while vaccines are being developed is a very welcome development.

This innovation really demonstrates how far biomedicine has come in recent years. And, since ‘AeroNabs’ deploys a completely synthetic, production-ready molecule, there is hope that this innovation may help prevent another worldwide pandemic.

UCSF Article: https://bit.ly/34XLMsL

Photo Credit: UCSF/Noah Berger