The tests also confirm what other research teams have found: vaccines probably protect people against both the variant that was first seen in Britain and is known as B.1.1.7, and one that was first noticed in South Africa. and B.1.135. However, the mutations in B.1.135 allow the virus to evade the immune responses a little more, the team, led by Dr. David Ho of Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University, said in a report by the pre -print report – one not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“As we expected, the virus continues to mutate, and these data demonstrate the ongoing ability of REGEN-COV to neutralize emerging strains, further validating our multi-antibody cocktail approach to infectious diseases,” said Regeneron President Dr. . George Yancopoulos, said in a statement. .
“With two complementary antibodies in one therapeutic agent, even if one has reduced the potency, the risk of the cocktail losing its effectiveness is significantly reduced, as the virus has to mutate at different sites to evade both antibodies.”
The mutations in B.1.1.7 had small effects, if any. However, one mutation, particularly in B.1.135, did reduce the effectiveness of the immune response in recovery plasma, in both vaccines, from one of Regeneron’s antibodies and from Lilly’s antibody.
The same mutation is found in a variant first seen in Brazil.
“Mutationally, this virus is moving in a direction that could eventually lead to the escape of our current therapeutic and preventative interventions targeting the viral peak,” Ho’s team wrote.
“If the unbridled spread of the virus continues and more critical mutations accumulate, we could be condemned to constantly pursue the evolving SARS-CoV-2, as we have long done for influenza virus.”
This means that the world needs to vaccinate people faster and in the meantime double the measures to stop the spread of viruses, such as the use of masks.