Invention Description
Monoclonal antibodies are important tools for treating viral infections, but traditional manufacturing methods often rely on expensive mammalian cell culture systems. Antibody effectiveness can also vary depending on glycosylation, which influences how well antibodies recruit immune cells to eliminate infected cells. Some antibodies may bind viruses without directly neutralizing them, limiting their therapeutic potential. There is a need for scalable and cost-effective manufacturing approaches that can precisely modify antibodies to enhance their immune activity.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed plant-based non-neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Utilizing plant-based glycoengineering, these antibodies were produced with modified glycosylation profiles, enhancing their antiviral efficacy. These modifications enhance Fc-mediated immune functions, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated virus inhibition (ADCVI), which complement neutralizing antibody activity and could provide broader protection against immune-evasive viral variants. Produced in a scalable plant-based system which provides a cost-effective alternative to mammalian cell production while enabling precise control of antibody glycosylation.
These plant-produced glycoengineered antibodies leverage Fc effector functions to enhance antiviral activity and offer new strategies against SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Potential Applications
- Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants
- Next-generation antiviral antibody development leveraging Fc glycoengineering
- Plant-made pharmaceutical production platforms for rapid-response biologics
- Combination antibody cocktails with enhanced protection and durability
- Vaccines that elicit both neutralizing and Fc-functional antibody responses
- Broad-spectrum antiviral therapies beyond SARS-CoV-2 targeting diverse viral infections
Benefits and Advantages
- Enhanced Fc effector functions (ADCC and ADCVI) improving viral clearance
- Synergistic antiviral activity combining neutralization and Fc-mediated effects
- Reduced risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) relative to conventional antibodies
- Cost-effective, scalable antibody production using plant-based glycoengineering
- Greater resilience against immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants due to Fc functionality
- Precise control over antibody glycosylation ensuring consistent therapeutic properties
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