Antigen company releases new antibodies to further fight against Covid-19

The Native Antigen Company Limited one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into vaccines and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, has introduced 10 new monoclonal antibodies (man-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system), recognising SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19

The Oxford-based company, which was sold earlier this year for £18 million to Middlesex-headquartered life sciences company LGC, says these 10 antibodies recognise different epitopes (part of the antigen to which antibodies bind) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein, nine of which are SARS-CoV-2-specific and do not cross-react with other human coronaviruses.

The introduction of these new antibodies extends The Native Antigen Company’s existing range and offers researchers a source of high-quality reagents for the research and development of in vitrodiagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-19.

Dr Andy Lane, Commercial Director at The Native Antigen Company, said: “There is a real need for commercially available antibodies that are specific for SARS-CoV-2, as many reagents that are currently in use were originally raised against SARS-CoV and only cross-react with SARS-CoV-2.

"The Native Antigen Company was one of the first recognised suppliers to release SARS-CoV-2 antigens in February of this year, and we have since continued to expand our offering. These ten new antibodies represent a significant advancement in the availability of defined reagents for CoV-2 studies, including immunoassay development for antigen detection.”