Teardrop-shaped particles designed to inactivate multiple strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could one day complement existing treatments for COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China.
Teardrop-shaped particles designed to inactivate multiple strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could one day complement existing treatments for COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China.
The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The COVID mRNA vaccines have been highly effective at preventing severe cases of the disease, but COVID-19 can still hospitalize vaccinated individuals, especially the elderly. New strains also continue to emerge, requiring constant updates to vaccines to maintain their effectiveness.
«Our immune system has to learn about a virus to generate the antibodies to fight back against infection, but by that time it may be too late for some people,» said Nicholas Kotov, the Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at U-M and co-corresponding author of the study.
Treatments are essential to help people at risk of severe COVID-19, but there are only a few options on the market today. Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral pill has become the go-to treatment after it received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, with clinical trials showing hospitalization risk reduced by 89%.
