Llama blood may pack a blow against COVID, military researchers sayhttps://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/llama-blood-may-pack-blow-against-covid-military-researchers-sayMilitary health system scientists may have found a promising lead on COVID-19 antibody treatment — lurking within the blood of a llama named Cormac.
Cormac, along with others of his kind, produces what researchers describe as "nanobodies," otherwise known as miniature antibodies that can reach where larger antibodies cannot. The tiny proteins appear to protect against COVID-19, and can be used in liquid or aerosol form to protect human lungs, scientists say.
"We hope that these anti-COVID-19 nanobodies may be highly effective and versatile in combating the coronavirus pandemic," said Dr. David Brody, who helped lead the study for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The organization he works for is a federal health sciences university and research facility within the Military Health System.
One of the initiatives DARPA has been working on for quite some time is developing sort of plug-and-play processes for developing fast responses to disease outbreaks. Whether as a partner or in parallel, the NIH has also been working on this goal. Moderna's vaccine, Eli Lilly's (and possibly Regeneron's) antibody treatment are fruits of that effort. This may be another aspect of it, though I suspect it is still experimental and may not come into play with Covid-19.
