Researchers study llama's antibodies to fight COVID-19 virus

At a time when there is a race to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, Peru scientists are doing extensive research on llama named Tito for antibodies. Scientists believe that there is a long way to isolate potential antibodies and develop a drug.

Peru: Scientists in Peru who are studying COVID-19 are turning to a llama named Tito for their study. Researchers around the world are hunting for antibodies that might work against the new coronavirus. Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs. They attach to a virus and help eliminate it.

Scientists think there might be useful antibodies in llamas, which tend to be smaller than human antibodies. But there's a long way from isolating potential antibodies to having a drug that works in people. This is not the first time scientists have looked at llama antibodies for possible therapies.

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They have also been studied in HIV and flu research. Work similar to the research in Peru is happening elsewhere too. Researchers in Belgium are also looking at llamas. In lab tests, they found that llama antibodies might be useful against SARS and MERS – two other coronaviruses.

The llama in Belgium is a 4-year-old female named Winter. Additional studies are needed before llama antibodies can be used in the fight against COVID-19.

AP