Antibodies, vaccines may not be effective against South Africa's COVID-19 variant : Study

Antibodies against coronavirus may not work against a new variant of virus identified in South Africa, a recent study claimed. The scientists had previously claimed that the variant virus 501.V2 has developed multiple mutations in the spike protein, the component which eventually binds to human cells and infects them. Therefore, vaccines and antibodies. which target the spike protein, may not work on the new virus.

Now, a new study, published in pre-print database bioRxiv, suggests new evidence to the case. The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that specific mutations in the spike protein make the variant less vulnerable to some people's antibodies, however, these mutations don't make the new variant invincible, only less vulnerable to attack. The study further added that some people’s antibodies were still capable of binding well to the mutant and in that case, anti-COVID drugs could work. 

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“Unfortunately, 501.V2 has a mutation at the E484 site, as do some other isolates from elsewhere. That means that the variant may be less vulnerable to some people's antibodies and to antibody drugs, but more studies are needed to know whether vaccine-generated antibodies will be similarly affected”, the authors noted.

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What is known about COVID-19 variant in South Africa?

However, mutations at one location on spike protein known as E484 emerged as a potential issue. According to researchers, a mutation at this point meant that antibodies’ capability of blocking the virus from entering cells fell more than 10-fold. Even though the South African experts are still looking into the details of the new COVID-19 variant, the health minister had said last week that the particular strain had dominated the results of the infections, especially in the last two months. Calling it a shift in the epidemiological landscape, doctors have reportedly noted that more younger patients were impacted with co-morbidities and developed severe forms of the highly-infectious disease which is sometimes deadly.

The South African health minister has also revealed that elements related to the new coronavirus strain “strongly indicate” that the second wave in the nation is “carried” by the new variant as nearly 90% of the samples tested in the country contain the new strain. As per reports, unlike other mutations that eventually die away, the 501.V2 has key changed in the part of the pathogen that helps it to stick to host cells in humans. It is also the same part of the virus which is impacted by the vaccines and antibody therapies.