Why with so many "other companies" introducing monoclonal antibodies is ENZC needed?
CEOCFO: What are you looking at regarding COVID?
Mr. Cotropia: We have produced an HIV monoclonal antibody that had been successfully tested in five international labs where it neutralized 95% of all strains against which it was tested. There are 6000 different strains of the HIV virus now known. We know that that our antibody is effective and we know the target site on the virus resulting in neutralization of the HIV virus. For an antibody to be effective it has to attack a neutralizable site on the virus that is always there, does not mutate from strain to strain. Knowing the binding site of our HIV monoclonal antibody, and then examining the CoronaVirus amino acid sequence, a correlation in the structures has been identified by our CSO, Dr. Joseph Cotropia, between the CoronaVirus and the HIV virus. With knowledge of these homologous viral structures, monoclonal antibodies will be created that target the corresponding “Achilles Heel” site on the CoronaVirus, an expected conserved immutable and neutralizable site on the virus. Additionally, using artificial intelligence, we will examine the numerous different strains of the virus to identify other conserved sites and produce additional monoclonal antibody targeting them. This is for the purpose of producing a “collection” or “cocktail” of antibodies for therapeutic use. We recognize that there are now known over 16,000 different variations or strains of the CoronaVirus, each slightly different due to mutation. A successful monoclonal antibody “cocktail” therapy must include multiple antibodies that specifically target several immutable sites and which results in neutralization.
For example, we all now know that President Trump received a combination of two Regeneron antibodies. Eli Lilly has also produced an anti-CoronaVirus antibody. However, what we do not know is whether those antibodies will be successful as the virus mutates. As I mentioned, there are now known 16,000 different variants to the CoronaVirus and immutable sites must be the targeted in order to be effective in the long run.
Also, as all experts in the field of monoclonal antibodies agree, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the NIAID/NIH, to have an effective therapy, we must have multiple monoclonal antibodies that target various sites on the virus - and in fact, even President Trump was given a cocktail of two. Therefore, it is imperative to identify conserved neutralizing binding sites on the CoronaVirus, and create multiple monoclonal antibodies that target these critical neutralizable and immutable structures. It is like finding a needle in a haystack and retrieving the needle; you must identify the immutable sites on the virus and then create and characterize fully human monoclonal antibodies that target those sites. The process described here will be our focus and for the reason that success has already been achieved with regard to the production of broadly neutralizing antibodies directed against the HIV virus, we expect success will likewise be achieved in production of broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies directed against the CoronaVirus.
