Avacta discovers potential Covid-19 therapy

Biotherapeutics group Avacta revealed on Friday that several of its Affimer reagents had been shown to block the interaction between the coronavirus' spike protein and ACE2, a receptor on human cells that is key to the virus infection pathway.

Avacta had already successfully generated "a large number" of Affimer reagents that bind to the SARS-COV-2 virus' spike protein as part of its partnership with Cytiva, with the two companies now working together to develop a rapid point-of-care Covid-19 antigen saliva test to be mass-produced for large-scale population screening and for self-testing by consumers.

However, further work revealed that several of its Affimer reagents also blocked the interaction between the virus' spike protein and the receptor to which the virus spike protein binds in order to infect cells.

Avacta said its Affirmer reagents that block the binding of the virus spike protein to ACE2 and, therefore, had the potential to prevent infection and act as "neutralising" therapies.

Chief executive Dr Alastair Smith said: "This is a very exciting development in the Covid-19 programme.

"There is significant potential for a therapy that could help prevent infection and limit the progression of the disease, providing immediate benefit to patients. With a large and well-resourced partner, a neutralising Affimer therapy could potentially be developed more quickly than a vaccine and we believe that the likelihood of success would be high."

As of 1000 BST, Avacta shares had surged 24.84% to 132.95p and were fast approaching their best level in almost five years.