Improved monoclonal antibody neutralization for Omicron sublineages
BA.2.75, BF.7 and BQ.1
Abstract
The mortality rate due to COVID-19 in immunocompromised cases is
considerably high. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy is essential in
managing SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in immunocompromised cases.
The mutation in the spike protein RBD region of the SARS-CoV-2 leads to
the substitution of amino acids resulting in an altered ACE2 binding
affinity. The mAbs must be tested in-vitro using standard neutralisation
assays designed against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants to estimate the mAb
therapy efficacy. Based on already available data on the mAb efficacy
for known SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is plausible to draw inferences for
other closely related SARS-CoV-2 variants in circulation owing to the
similar spike protein RBD amino acid sequence. In this article, we have
attempted to analyse the data of mAb efficacy tested against SARS-CoV-2
variants and extrapolate on other emerging omicron sublineages like
BA.2.75, BF.7 and BQ.1.