A research team led by Professor Dae-Hyuk Kweon from the College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering at Sungkyunkwan University (co-first authors: Dr. Jaehyeon Hwang and Soyun Choi, M.S.) has introduced an innovative strategy utilizing nanodiscs to overcome the limitations of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

Neutralizing antibody therapeutics are effective in preventing infections caused by respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. However, their efficacy declines rapidly due to the virus's high mutation rate. This limitation is evident in the failure of many antibody therapeutics, both domestically and internationally, to neutralize emerging variants—particularly the Omicron strain—or their role in promoting resistant virus strains. Despite the global development of numerous antibody therapeutics for COVID-19 treatment, many have been discontinued due to their inefficacy against currently circulating variants. To address this challenge, the research team proposed a novel therapeutic approach using nanodiscs that bind to the Fc region of antibodies.

The study found that neutralizing antibodies conjugated with nanodiscs exhibited significantly stronger antiviral activity compared to conventional antibodies alone. In animal experiments, complexation of nanodisc reduced viral titers in lung tissue by 100-fold compared to immunoadhesin alone. Notably, even weakened neutralizing antibodies regained broad-spectrum antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and multiple Omicron variants when combined with nanodiscs, highlighting their potential as a versatile antiviral platform.

Furthermore, Professor Kweon’s research team had previously demonstrated that nanodiscs significantly enhance the neutralizing capacity of antibodies against influenza viruses as well, suggesting a broader application of this technology.

Professor Dae-Hyuk Kweon emphasized, "The loss of efficacy of neutralizing antibody therapeutics due to viral mutations has been a major obstacle in antiviral drug development. Our nanodisc-based technology offers an innovative approach to treating viral infections and can be expanded beyond COVID-19 and influenza to various RNA viruses."

He added, "Many pharmaceutical companies are working on developing antiviral antibody treatments, and integrating nanodiscs could significantly enhance their chances of success." To accelerate clinical translation, the research team is actively collaborating with MVRIX Inc. to develop antiviral therapeutics targeting coronaviruses.

This study was conducted in collaboration with research teams led by Professor Min-Suk Song (Chungbuk National University) and Dr. Sang Jick Kim (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology). The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), the Samsung Science & Technology Foundation, and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB).

※ Journal: Journal of Nanobiotechnology (Impact Factor: 10.2, Top 4.3% in JCR Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology)

※ Paper Title: Fc-Binding Nanodisc Restores Antiviral Efficacy of Antibodies with Reduced Neutralizing Effects Against Evolving SARS-CoV-2 Variants