Right now, there are 174 COVID-19 treatments and vaccines in the clinical stages of development, not to mention 81 additional therapies in the pre-clinical stage. The world is holding its breath for the data.
Already, early results are showing promise. And this week, a small San Diego biopharmaceutical company, Sorrento Therapeutics, released new laboratory evidence that could move the needle from promise to product.
Sorrento claims to have discovered a unique COVID-19 antibody – a blood protein the body makes in response to and in defense against a specific antigen – that can create “100% inhibition” of COVID-19. In other words, the unique antibody has so far been 100% effective in blocking COVID-19 from infecting healthy cells within just four days.
Sorrento, in partnership with Mount Sinai, is working to develop an antibody cocktail containing the unique antibody and other antibodies that they hope will prevent new COVID-19 infections. While the cocktail still needs to be tested in animal and human clinical trials, the initial laboratory performance has been positive.
According to Sorrento CEO Dr. Henry Ji, “Our […] antibody shows exceptional therapeutic potential and could potentially save lives.”
While the world awaits the discovery of a vaccine, the antibody cocktail could temporarily protect individuals from contracting COVID-19, which will be critical to getting America safely back to work.
We hope to see that potential realized soon.
–Jonathan Weinberger, Executive Vice President, Global Innovation Policy Center
