Potent Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Identified in Preclinical Study

California based Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. released preclinical data on September 28, 2020, reporting on COVI-GUARD™ (STI-1499) and COVI-AMG™ (STI-2020; Affinity Matured COVI-Guard) neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as a D614G virus variant infection.

Dr. Slobodan Paessler’s laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has generated promising preclinical animal data for STI-1499 and STI-2020 nAbs in a Syrian golden hamster model infected with SARS-CoV-2. Both nAbs demonstrated potent neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in preclinical models.

STI-1499 nAb has been cleared by the U.S. FDA for a Phase 1 clinical trial in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. STI-2020 is an affinity-matured version of the COVI-GUARD nAb and has demonstrated a greater than 50-fold increase in potency in vitro experiments.

The potency of both nAbs and their ability to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection from the lungs in a Syrian golden hamster model is very impressive, strongly supporting further development of these antibodies,” stated Dr. Henry Ji, CEO of Sorrento, in a press release.