Artificial antibodies made from nanoparticles

Ars Technica : The human body produces antibodies in response to viral infections, but it often cannot create them fast enough the first time it is infected. To stimulate the body’s immune system, researchers developed vaccines, which are often weakened forms of the virus. Now, Patrick Shahgaldian of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and his colleagues have decided to bypass that intermediate step and just create the antibodies themselves. First, they made imprints of viruses on the surface of silica nanoparticles by attaching the viruses with a binding agent and then coating them with a layer of polymer. After using ultrasound to dislodge the viruses, Shahgaldian’s team introduced the “virus imprinted particles” (VIPs) into solutions of infected human blood serum. They found that, within 30 minutes of exposure, the VIPs could trap up to 88% of the viruses, even at concentrations as low as 65 picomolars. Once clinical testing has been completed, the VIPs will likely be first used as a diagnostic tool to determine if a patient is infected, said Shahgaldian. Before VIPs can be used for therapy, they will need to be produced quickly and in large quantities.