SARS‑CoV‑2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is a strain of coronavirus. However, SARS‑CoV‑2 has caused on going COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and led to a serious threat to global public health. Specifically, SARS-CoV-2 has given rise to a global pandemic because it has more possibility of human-to-human infection than SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which results in high numbers of infections and deaths all over the world. Research shows that SARS-CoV-2 consists  of four structure proteins, including the envelope protein, nucleocapsid protein, spike protein, and membrane protein. In addition, ACE2 (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2) is a receptor of the spike protein. However, SARS-CoV-2 virus can enter the cell by binding with ACE2. Here, we will introduce Beludavimab (BMS 4182137; VIR 7832), a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein.

Beludavimab is a mAb targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein.

In vitro experiments, Beludavimab binds to recombinant spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) with an EC₅₀ value of 14.9 ng/mL and a K_d of 0.21 nM. And, Beludavimab targets an epitope containing a glycan (at position N343). Also, the epitope is highly conserved within the Sarbecovirus subgenus in a region of the S receptor binding domain (RBD) that does not compete with ACE2 binding. In addition, Beludavimab induces NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), in cells from donors expressing the low-affinity F/F158 allele of FcγIIIa more efficiently. Equally important, Beludavimab can neutralize wild-type and variant pseudotyped viruses and authentic virus in vitro.

In a word, as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAb, Beludavimab has good research potential.

References:

1. 1. De Dominici M, et al. Blood. 2020 Apr 30;135(18):1560-1573. 
   2. Liu-Dumlao T, et al. Curr Oncol Rep. 2012 Oct;14(5):387-94.