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Schlieren ZH - The MTX-COVAB antibody developed by Memo Therapeutics is effective against the original variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes coronavirus infections as well as the mutations that were first identified in the UK and South Africa. It is now being transferred to the clinical development phase.

Coronavirus illustrated. Image: CDC/Pexels
Image: CDC/Pexels

The biotechnology company Memo Therapeutics AG, which is based in the Greater Zurich Area, is preparing its MTX-COVAB antibody for clinical evaluation. MTX-COVAB is a fully human, highly potent antibody that was successfully isolated from clinically selected convalescent COVID-19 donors. According to a press release, investigations up to this point have shown that the antibody is effective against the original virus variant as well as the mutation first identified in the UK (B.1.1.7). Sars-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the respiratory infection COVID-19. Memo has also successfully identified new antibodies that demonstrate neutralizing activity against the South African variant (B.1.351). MTX-COVAB is now ready for clinical development with the aim of achieving a therapeutic treatment for clinical use.

Memo Therapeutics is working with Serum Institute India and additional academic partners based in Austria, Brazil and South Africa. The focus here is on evaluating further samples obtained from coronavirus patients to identify and isolate additional effective antibodies to combat all relevant variants and mutations. This can be achieved within just three weeks of receiving the blood sample.

Christoph Esslinger, CSO and co-founder of Memo Therapeutics, draws attention in the press release to the fact that “Vaccines will not always be effective against all variants”. For this reason, the technology developed by Memo allowing it to rapidly identify active antibodies may represent an additional strategy to combat the spread of these mutant strains. “Memo’s ability to discover potent antibodies against COVID variants in such a short period of time highlights the power and broad applicability of our technology”, explains Karsten Fischer, CEO of Memo Therapeutics AG, in the press release. Practical application scenarios will now be developed in conjunction with colleagues in India, Austria, South Africa and Brazil. 

Memo Therapeutics was founded as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

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