KATHMANDU: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) claims to have prepared a "highly purified antisera" which could be a potential treatment for the looming coronavirus infection.

ICMR along with a Hyderabad-based biopharmaceutical company Biological E Limited, have synthesized an antisera by injecting dormant COVID-19 causing pathogens, which could be a breakthrough while operose efforts are underway to develop a cure for the devastating pandemic.

Antisera are blood serum rich in antibodies against particular foreign substances, which are injected in the human body to strengthen the immunity system for fighting specific infections.

As per the study, proof of potential of generating highly purified F(ab')2 from equines against COVID-19 causing pathogen, SARS-CoV-2, that can illustrate consistent and high neutralization activity. Similarly, as the method is donor independent, it could be an effective alternative to plasma therapy.

However, human trials of the antisera raised in animals is yet to be performed to test its safety as well as peer review too is yet to be conducted.

For the purpose of the study, as many as 10 healthy horses were injected and plasma samples were tested post 21 days.

Source: PTI