Antibody drugs and COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against a coronavirus variant that was first detected in India, according to researchers.
The variant, known as B.1.617.2, has mutations that make it more transmissible. It is now predominant in some parts of India and has spread to many other countries.
A multicenter team of scientists in France studied a B.1.617.2 variant isolated from a traveler returning from India. Compared to the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in Britain, the India variant was more resistant to antibody drugs, although three currently approved drugs still remained effective against it, they found.
Antibodies in blood from unvaccinated COVID-19 s…
Keep on reading: India COVID-19 variant exhibits resistance; antibody drug shows promise