Gordon Stein, CFO of CleanTech Lithium, explains why CTL acquired the 23 Laguna Verde licenses. Watch the video here.
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Boris Johnson backs plans to ALLOW thousands of Chinese and Russian jabbed delegates to Cop26 climate change summit in the UK despite vaccine not being recognised https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9846749/Boris-Johnson-backs-plans-ALLOW-thousands-Chinese-Russian-jabbed-delegates-Cop26.html
That’s right, Boris, turn us into a complete melting pot for the creation of a vaccine escape variant!
That is true of antivirals which is why I think current guidance is to use two at once. Not a Dr, well not that type
Yep it all looked very promising back in mid summer 2020.
But I get the fundamental science is there. Now only if we......
Dr Alastair Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Avacta Group, commented:
"I am delighted that our collaborators at the University of Glasgow have confirmed that these Affimer reagents not only block the spike-ACE2 binding but efficiently prevent a SARS-COV-2 model virus from entering human cells. This is critical information that will help to establish a license deal with a large pharmaceutical partner that has the resources to carry out an accelerated clinical development programme.
Neutralising therapies could be given to those exposed to the virus, such as health and social-care workers, to prevent infection, as well as to patients already infected by the virus, to help treat and prevent disease progression. There is ongoing significant investment by large pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim and others to develop neutralising therapies for COVID-19.
We continue to make very good progress across all of our COVID-19 related programmes, as well as our other diagnostic and therapeutic activities, and I look forward to providing further updates in the very near future."
Professor David Bhella, Professor of Structural Virology (Centre for Virus Research) at the University of Glasgow, commented:
"There is significant interest around the world in neutralising therapies for COVID-19 given the uncertainties around the timeline for developing an effective vaccine and deploying it.
The infectivity assays that we have carried out with the Affimer reagents have gone very well and they show that there are a number of them that are potent inhibitors of a SARS-COV-2 model virus entry into human cells.
Given the excellent performance of these novel reagents in the assays, and the other benefits of Affimer reagents, there should be considerable interest from potential partners in developing them as a therapy for COVID-19."
18 June 2020
Avacta Group plc
("Avacta" or "the Group" or "the Company")
Update on Affimer® Therapy for COVID-19 Infection
Infectivity assays carried out in collaboration with Glasgow University show that Affimer reagents prevent infection of human cells by a SARS-COV-2 model virus
Avacta Group plc (AIM: AVCT), the developer of Affimer biotherapeutics and reagents, is pleased to announce that collaborative work with the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow has shown that Affimer reagents which bind to the SARS-COV-2 virus spike protein prevent infection of human cells by a SARS-COV-2 model virus and therefore provide a potential therapy for COVID-19 infection.
Recently, Avacta reported that several of the Affimer reagents that had been generated to develop COVID-19 antigen tests inhibited the interaction between the coronavirus' spike protein and a receptor found on human cells, called ACE2, which the virus spike protein binds to as the first step in infecting cells.
Avacta has now successfully completed the initial phase of a collaboration with Professor David Bhella at the University of Glasgow showing that these "neutralising" Affimer reagents prevent a SARS-COV-2 model virus from entering human cells and therefore provide a potential therapy for COVID-19.
Affimer reagents have key benefits compared with antibodies as virus neutralising therapies: Their small size and high solubility means that a much higher concentration of Affimer molecules can be used in the drug formulation to more effectively block the spike proteins on each virus particle and better protect the patient; bispecific and trispecific Affimer neutralising therapies that bind to more than one part of the spike protein could ensure the effectiveness of the neutralising therapy even if the virus' spike protein mutates.
Work is continuing with Professor Bhella to further study the way in which the Affimer reagents prevent infection and Avacta is using this growing body of data actively to secure a large pharmaceutical partner to develop these potential therapeutic candidates rapidly......
RD, do the variants all access the cell through the Ace2 receptor tho? If so, even with proteins changing on the virus surface it wouldn't matter. Block off the Ace2 receptor regardless of mutation and the jobs a good un. All sounds very simplistic but is it just that?
The talk about antigenic sin is that the proteins on virus surface change but the body produces the original AB and cannot switch to new form. Therefore supplemental ABs (mabs) would presumably help. Would need to determine whether affimers were effective and safe but if so they offer a quicker and more flexible approach. Hopefully someone is doing this but given its Avacta ......
Whilst on the therapeutics side of the business, are Daewoong working on the affimer therapeutics that bound to the Ace2 receptor? Not heard anything of that since the excitement of last year. Would be or could be a gamechanger. If that actually worked I think we'd be talking 10s of billions added to this share. All obviously in my opinion as a cider maker. Ha
Agreed. Start stocking up on bog roll now
On plus side for the share (that doesn't sit well) a short lead time to accurate test would be a helpful time a govt trying to plan ahead. Make an affimer for each VoC as and when they appear. Document states we can predicted drift so need a solution to an ever changing enemy. That isn't ABs.
RD, that is a really interesting and very worrying read. Therapeutics are the main way to go imo and have said so from the start.
Not a doctor so all disclaimers apply
It’s plain simple good old fashioned common sense to reduce prevalence. We’re on track to become a breeding ground for new variants otherwise. Get everyone using AffiDx regularly and give adequate support for isolation. Test, test, FFS test.
Homework
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_antigenic_sin
The thing about affimers is they are not locked into original sin.
Seems Sage think reducing transmission is a pretty good thing to do - reduces antigenic shift in the face of selection pressure.
Oh hang on.....
PS Talk about stock piling therapeutics for when the inevitable happens. Covid stocks back to popular demand.
With thanks to gkb47
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/long-term-evolution-of-sars-cov-2-26-july-2021