AbClon, a Korean antibody drug company, stated that it has confirmed the neutralizing capacity to effectively inhibit the infection of COVID-19 from a novel antibody drug candidate discovered from the company's own human antibody library.

AbClon has achieved the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and, in particular, several antibodies and affibodies that specifically bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and has applied for patents. The receptor-binding domain is a site that directly binds to human receptors.

Among the 20 candidates discovered from the COVID-19 virus neutralizing capacity test conducted by the Korea University Medical Center, AbClone first selected one novel drug candidate that can most effectively neutralize coronavirus and inhibit target cell infection. And the company is now intensively developing the candidate.

The coronavirus is RNA-based and is known to easily cause strain. It has already been reported that at least three strains have occurred, and is expected to increase in the future.

AbClon is also developing an affibody or AffiMab-type double-antibody using affibodies in order to cope with the coronavirus strains and realize the therapeutic effect applicable to a wide range of patients.