When our bodies are invaded by a virus, our immune systems make particular proteins called antibodies to help fight off infection.
NPR reports that scientists working to quell the COVID-19 pandemic think it will be possible to figure out which antibodies are most potent in quashing a coronavirus infection, and then make vast quantities of identical copies of these proteins synthetically.
This approach — using infusions of what are known as monoclonal antibodies – has already proved to be effective in fighting a variety of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers.
Several efforts are underway to turn this approach on the coronavirus, with hopes of getting something ready for human testing within the next few months.