Antibodies from a *checks notes* 4-year-old llama named Winter who has *checks notes again* great eyelashes could be our best hope against *throws notes into a fire* the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m just going to give you a minute to let that one sink in.
According to the New York Times, Winter is a “chocolate-colored llama with spindly legs, ever-so-slightly askew ears and envy-inducing eyelashes,” but it’s not her ~influencer~ lashes that has her making headlines. Nope. It’s her importance in the search for a coronavirus vaccine.
Winter was chosen out of a pack of llamas in Belgium who are bred for scientific research purposes. Although she doesn’t have any superpowers (sorry, there won’t be a llama Avenger anytime soon), her antibodies had already fought off SARS and MERS viruses before researchers decided to put her to the test against COVID-19.
Considering COVID-19 is a cousin of the SARS virus, Winter’s antibodies and blood could potentially help to treat the coronavirus down the track.
Scientists from Belgium’s VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and the University of Texas published their findings in the Cell science journal on Tuesday. The findings concluded that Winter and the other 130 llamas involved in the experiment produced a unique camelid antibody that they hope could potentially neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The research dates back to 2016, but they were in the process of finishing their SARS/MERS study when the coronavirus pandemic first began in January. Thankfully, they used their existing research and found a new antibody that has the potential to bind to and neutralise the COVID-19 coronavirus, researcher Daniel Wrapp told The Washington Post.
“Vaccines have to be given a month or two before infection to provide protection,” co-author Jason McLellan said in the statement. “With antibody therapies, you’re directly giving somebody the protective antibodies and so, immediately after treatment, they should be protected.”
If successful, the antibodies would be particularly helpful for our most vulnerable members of society such as the elderly and immunocompromised. According to a statement from University of Texas, the antibody would also be beneficial for frontline health workers, who would receive almost immediate protection, should the antibodies be fit for human use.
Don’t go hugging llamas just yet (or do, I’m not your mum), because the research is still in early stages. Scientists are currently trialing the antibodies on hamsters, but it’ll be a while before we even know if it’s safe to inject humans with the llama antibodies.
“There is still a lot of work to do to try to bring this into the clinic,” co-author Xavier Saelens told The New York Times. “If it works, llama Winter deserves a statue.”
Just to be clear, this isn’t a vaccine, or even close to a vaccine at this point. So please, keep social distancing, wash your damn hands and do your part to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Even if Winter doesn’t have the cure for coronavirus, hopefully she can give us some insights on how to grow luscious lashes.
