Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize the fight against COVID-19. Researchers have found a unique class of antibodies, generated by llamas, that are highly effective against a wide range of SARS coronaviruses, including the one behind COVID-19 and its future variants.

These llama-derived antibodies target an essential region at the base of the virus’s spike protein, effectively shutting it down and preventing the virus from infecting cells. The findings, published in Nature Communications, offer a promising route to developing broad-spectrum antiviral treatments that could remain effective against future viral variants.

The current SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is designed to target specific regions of the virus’s spike protein, which can mutate quickly, leading to resistance. However, the new llama antibodies focus on a more stable subunit of the spike protein, making them harder for the virus to evade.

A team led by Prof. Xavier Saelens and Dr. Bert Schepens at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology discovered that these llama antibodies act like a molecular clamp, locking the spike protein in its original shape and preventing it from unfolding into the form needed to infect cells. The researchers tested the antibodies in lab animals and found strong protection against infection, even at low doses.

Furthermore, when they attempted to force the virus to evolve resistance, it struggled, producing only rare escape variants that were much less infectious. This points to a powerful treatment option that could be hard for the virus to evade.

“This region is so crucial to the virus that it can’t easily mutate without weakening the virus itself,” explains Schepens, senior author of the study. “That gives us a rare advantage: a target that’s both essential and stable across variants.”

This discovery marks a significant advancement in the quest for durable and broadly effective antiviral therapies, offering hope for treatments that can keep pace with viral evolution.

“The combination of high potency, broad activity against numerous viral variants, and a high barrier to resistance is incredibly promising,” adds Saelens. “This work provides a strong foundation for developing next-generation antibodies that could be vital in combating not only current but also future coronavirus threats.”

The recent global outbreak of mpox, a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, has raised concerns about its transmission dynamics. Historically, most human infections have resulted from zoonotic transmission – from animals to humans – but during the 2022 global outbreak, the virus began spreading readily between people. A new study published in Nature has now shown that the virus was circulating long before then.

Using genomic tracing, researchers estimated that the virus’ ancestor first emerged in southern Nigeria in August 2014 and spread to 11 states before human infections were detected in 2017. The findings highlight the need for improved global surveillance and medicines, given the threat of impending pandemics.

“We could have very easily prevented the 2022 multi-country outbreak if countries in Africa were given better access to therapeutics, vaccines, and surveillance technologies,” says Edyth Parker, a professional collaborator in the Kristian Andersen Lab at Scripps Research and one of the paper’s first authors. “In a vulnerably connected world, we cannot neglect epidemics until they get exported to the Global North.”

The study’s senior author, Christian Happi, director of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria, organized a Pan-African consortium to share and generate mpox genomic data. The consortium involved researchers and public health agencies in West and Central Africa, with support from international collaborators including Scripps Research.

By pooling samples and laboratory methods, the group generated a genomic dataset that is around three times larger than any previous mpox dataset. Altogether, the team analyzed 118 viral genomes from human mpox cases that occurred in Nigeria and Cameroon between 2018 and 2023. All of the sequences were identified as Clade IIb – the mpox strain endemic to West Africa.

The researchers created a phylogenetic tree, which estimates how related the different viruses are, and how recently they evolved. They found that most of the viral samples from Nigeria were the result of human-to-human transmission (105/109), while the remaining four were caused by zoonotic spillover. In contrast, all nine mpox samples from Cameroon were derived from isolated zoonotic spillover events.

“Mpox is no longer just a zoonotic virus in Nigeria; this is very much a human virus,” says Parker. “But the fact that there’s ongoing zoonotic transmission means there’s also a continual risk of re-emergence.”

The team estimated that the ancestor of the human-transmitting mpox virus emerged in animals in November 2013 and first entered the human population in southern Nigeria in August 2014. They also showed that southern Nigeria was the main source of subsequent cases of human mpox: though the virus spread throughout Nigeria, continual human-to-human transmission only occurred in the country’s south.

The study highlights the need for better wildlife surveillance, as well as better surveillance in the human populations that interface with animals in that forested border region. It also emphasizes the importance of better access to diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics in Africa.

“Global health inequities really impede our ability to control both zoonotic and sustained human transmission,” says Parker. “We cannot continue to neglect either the human epidemics in Africa or the risk of re-emergence – not only does it perpetuate suffering in these regions, it means that inevitably there will be another pandemic.”

The rewritten article:

Predicting Virus Reservoirs: A Machine Learning Model for Pandemic Prevention

A team of researchers from Washington State University has developed an innovative machine learning model that can aid in preventing pandemics by identifying animal species that may harbor and spread viruses capable of infecting humans. The model analyzes host characteristics and virus genetics to pinpoint potential reservoirs and geographic areas where new outbreaks are more likely to occur.

The researchers, led by experts Stephanie Seifert, Katie Tseng, and Pilar Fernandez, recently published their findings in the journal Communications Biology. Their study focused on orthopoxviruses – a family of viruses that includes smallpox and mpox – and identified Southeast Asia, equatorial Africa, and the Amazon as potential hotspots for outbreaks.

The model’s predictive accuracy was higher than previous models, which relied solely on ecological traits of animals, such as habitat and diet. The researchers added a crucial aspect to their model by incorporating the genetic makeup of viruses, providing a more comprehensive understanding of how they spread across species.

“We wanted to add the other side of the story, the characteristics of the viruses,” Fernandez said. “Our model improves the accuracy of host predictions and provides a clearer picture of how viruses may spread across species.”

The model’s findings have significant implications for disease prevention and control. By identifying potential reservoirs, scientists can anticipate emerging zoonotic threats and take proactive measures to prevent pandemics.

“This is a game-changer in our fight against infectious diseases,” said Seifert. “If we can better predict which species pose the greatest risk, we can take targeted actions to prevent outbreaks.”

The researchers believe their model can be adapted for other viruses, making it a valuable tool in disease prevention efforts worldwide. As Tseng noted, “While we used the model specifically for orthopoxviruses, we can also go in a lot of different directions and start fine-tuning this model for other viruses.”