Antibody That Neutralizes COVID-19 Viral Variants Enters Clinical Trials

Vancouver-based AbCellera announced on May 4, 2021, that a second antibody from its collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company, LY-CoV1404, has entered clinical trials in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

Lilly has expanded its ongoing BLAZE-4 trials to evaluate LY-CoV1404 alone and together with other monoclonal antibodies.

In support of these clinical studies, AbCellera released preclinical data showing LY-CoV1404 binds to a rarely mutated region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and neutralizes all currently known variants of concern.

“When we first mobilized against COVID-19 in March of last year, we decided to develop a single antibody, emphasizing speed and scalability so that we could help as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible. That antibody, bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555), was the first to receive FDA Emergency Use Authorization and has treated more patients than any other neutralizing antibody – preventing more than 22,000 hospitalizations and 11,000 deaths in the U.S. alone,” commented Carl Hansen, Ph.D., CEO of AbCellera, in a press release.

“Knowing that additional neutralizing antibodies would be needed to combat emerging variants, we continued to screen patient samples and identified LY-CoV1404. Our analysis of LY-CoV1404 shows that it is exceptionally potent and neutralizes currently known variants of concern."

"We are encouraged by the potential of LY-CoV1404 to provide a long-term complement to vaccines in the likely event that COVID-19 becomes endemic. Our partner Lilly, who has been a leader in rapidly developing, testing, and globally supplying COVID-19 antibody treatments, has advanced LY-CoV1404 into the clinic as part of its ongoing BLAZE-4 trial.”

LY-CoV1404 is developed from a fully human monoclonal antibody identified from a blood sample obtained approximately 60 days after symptom onset from a convalescent COVID-19 patient.

AbCellera is a technology company located in British Columbia that searches, decodes, and analyzes natural immune systems to find antibodies that its partners can develop into drugs to prevent and treat disease. For more information, visit www.abcellera.com.