Affinity Biosciences Pty Ltd., a privately held company focused on antibody discovery for cancer therapeutics, has discovered potent antibodies with therapeutic potential against COVID-19.
 
In March, Affinity commenced screening its proprietary library of one hundred billion human antibodies to discover those that might neutralise SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. After discovering a number of candidate antibodies that block the virus spike protein from binding to its human receptor, Affinity engaged The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in April to conduct testing using the virus in the laboratory.
 
The Doherty Institute has confirmed that Affinity’s antibodies can completely neutralise the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 at a single digit microgram/ml concentration in a five-day virus neutralisation assay. The antibodies have high affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at around 20 picomolar, driven by an exceptionally slow off-rate, a measure of how long the antibody remains bound to its target.
 
“Our antibodies latch onto the virus spike protein and block its activity,” said Affinity CEO, Dr Peter Smith. “These antibodies may be protective in humans by preventing the virus from gaining a foothold in healthy people exposed to the virus, and may be useful in arresting the progress of the virus in an infected person by blocking its ability to infect new cells and replicate.”
 
According to Affinity, a highly effective therapy would allow a faster resumption of normal life by reducing the threat of infected individuals needing hospitalisation.
 
The next steps in the development of Affinity’s COVID-19 therapy are:
 

• Manufacturing Affinity’s antibodies for studies. Affinity will seek an expedited process to enable antibodies to be rapidly manufactured to the standards of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for clinical studies.
• Identification of expedited clinical development/approvals pathways with regulatory agencies such as TGA, FDA, and EMA.
• Discussions with governments, NGOs, and pharmaceutical companies for accelerated development and commercial distribution. Affinity’s antibodies are currently in a comparative study being conducted by the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (the CoVIC program) funded by the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator launched in March by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Mastercard, and philanthropists.