Genetically engineered cows are being used in an American trial to develop a virus against COVID-19.
SAB Biotherapeutics says its genetically engineered cows show the same immune response as survivors of diseases such as COVID-19.
It says testing on cows could speed up the process of delivering a vaccine as it would eliminate the need to identify, screen and draw blood from recovering human volunteers.
“As a ruminant, cows inherently have a more robust immune response than humans. This response is stimulated when an immunogen specifically and exclusively targeted to a virus, such as SARS-CoV-2, is introduced, activating the entire disease fighting force of human antibodies,” SAB Biotherapeutics said.
“We further boost the response with a specialised vaccine formulation and strategy that maintains a high level of antibody production over an extended period of time and targets plasma collection at the highest levels.”
Could cows be the secret weapon to finding a treatment for #COVID19? Our newest #BeyondImagination feature at @BIOConvention’s #BIODigital highlights @SABBantibody and its work to produce human polyclonal antibodies in cows. pic.twitter.com/nwGqVXqipM
— I Am Biotech (@IAmBiotech) June 8, 2020
The company said there were many benefits to using cows in a trial. It said that cows could be injected with a non-infectious subunit and produce antibodies to the immunogen without becoming infected or getting sick.
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