Neutralizing human B-cell derived monoclonal antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that, in a minority of infected people with COVID-19, seems to cause a dysregulated immune response that patients succumb to. Along with lung, kidney, and circulatory damage, the lack of pre-existing immunization is the primary factor leading to widespread morbidity. Recent reports1 have shown that antibodies in convalescent patient sera are effective in neutralizing the virus. Here, using a broad team of clinicians and scientists, we want to extract mRNA from convalescent COVID-19 patient memory B cells with reactivity towards the virus spike protein and use that to identify and recreate neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. By directly targeting human B cells from surviving patients, we increase the chances of finding antibodies that can neutralize an infection. We have recently successfully generated functional antibodies through single B cell cloning technology in a similar project with a bacterial protein target.