A project to develop human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) approved

  • IASbaba
  • May 12, 2020
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A project to develop human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) approved

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Health & GS-III – Science and Technology

In News:

  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has approved a project to develop human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) through New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) programme. 
  • These antibodies can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in patients.
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

Key takeaways:

  • hmAbs shall be generated from convalescent phase of COVID-19 patients. 
  • High affinity and neutralizing antibodies shall be selected. 
  • The project aims to anticipate future adaptation of the virus and generate hmAbs clones that can neutralize the mutated virus and combat future SARS-CoV infections.

Important value additions:

New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)

  • It is the largest public-private-partnership effort within the Research & Development field in the country. 
  • It seeks to act as a catalyst in innovation-centered scientific and technological developments. 
  • It also aims to help Indian industry achieve a global leadership position. 

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb or moAb) 

  • They are antibodies that are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell
  • They can have monovalent affinity, in that they bind to the same epitope (the part of an antigen that is recognized by the antibody).

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