Targeting multiple COVID variants through the twist in the spike protein

Particles that gum up the keys that the virus uses to enter cells could one day be an effective COVID treatment whenever vaccines and other treatments fall short Teardrop-shaped particles designed to inactivate multiple strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could one day complement existing treatments for COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China. The COVID mRNA vaccines have been highly effective at preventing severe cases of the disease, but COVID-19 can still hospitalize vaccinated individuals, especially the elderly. New strains also continue to emerge, requiring constant updates to vaccines to maintain their effectiveness. “Our immune system has to learn about a virus to generate the antibodies to fight back against infection, but by that time it may be too late for some people,” said Nicholas Kotov, the Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at U-M and...