AN IgY neutralizing antibody, which is claimed to inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, by over 99 percent，was launched in Shenzhen on Monday, according to Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

The IgY antibody technology, with an invention patent issued by China National Intellectual Property Association, was jointly unveiled by Sino-Swed Tongkang Biotech Ltd. (Shenzhen) and a local precision medicine research institute.

After the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the two developers leveraged their strength in antibody engineering technology and began to develop antibodies that can specifically inhibit SARS-CoV-2 under the guidance of Swedish scientist Sven Skog, according to the Daily report.

The IgY antibody that shows inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 was extracted and obtained from the yolks of eggs delivered by immunized hens.

The results from the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s BSL-3 laboratory in October 2020 showed that the inhibitory effect of the disinfectant containing the antibody on a wild-type novel coronavirus reached 99.85 percent.

The experimental results from the State Key Laboratory of Virology in December 2021 showed that spray prepared by the antibody has an inhibitory effect of 99.94 percent on the Delta variant.

It is reported that the IgY antibody would not cause irritation or toxic side effects to the human body and can work on the body’s mucosal surfaces or on objects’ surfaces.

It has an inhibitory effect on the novel coronavirus for up to three hours per single use.

(Zhang Yu)