Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32887876›Full record

ArticleNature communications2020

An alpaca nanobody neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by blocking receptor interaction.

Leo Hanke, Laura Vidakovics Perez, Daniel J Sheward, Hrishikesh Das, Tim Schulte, Ainhoa Moliner-Morro, Martin Corcoran, Adnane Achour, Gunilla B Karlsson Hedestam, B Martin Hällberg and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 212 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
212citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
7.0field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

212 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 357 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. SARS-CoV-2-neutralising monoclonal antibodies to prevent COVID-19.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. mAbs · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Mapping SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Function with Nanobodies.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  11. Demonstration ofJournal of virology · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

152 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Leo HankeDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5514-2418
Laura Vidakovics PerezDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4283-812X
Daniel J ShewardDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hrishikesh DasDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Tim SchulteScience for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ainhoa Moliner-MorroDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Martin CorcoranDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Adnane AchourScience for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gunilla B Karlsson HedestamDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
B Martin HällbergDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. martin.hallberg@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6781-0345
Ben Murrell *Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. benjamin.murrell@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0393-4445
Gerald M McInerney *Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. gerald.mcinerney@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2257-7241
Karolinska Institutet · SEKarolinska University Hospital · SEUniversity of Cape Town · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells through an interaction between the spike glycoprotein and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Directly preventing this interaction presents an attractive possibility for suppressing SARS-CoV-2 replication. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of an alpaca-derived single domain antibody fragment, Ty1, that specifically targets the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike, directly preventing ACE2 engagement. Ty1 binds the RBD with high affinity, occluding ACE2. A cryo-electron microscopy structure of the bound complex at 2.9 Å resolution reveals that Ty1 binds to an epitope on the RBD accessible in both the 'up' and 'down' conformations, sterically hindering RBD-ACE2 binding. While fusion to an Fc domain renders Ty1 extremely potent, Ty1 neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus as a 12.8 kDa nanobody, which can be expressed in high quantities in bacteria, presenting opportunities for manufacturing at scale. Ty1 is therefore an excellent candidate as an intervention against COVID-19.

Indexed as

Amino Acid SequenceAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAnimalsAntibodies, NeutralizingAntibodies, ViralBetacoronavirusBinding SitesCamelids, New WorldChlorocebus aethiopsCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19Cryoelectron MicroscopyEpitopesHEK293 CellsHumansACE2 protein, humanAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAntibodies, NeutralizingAntibodies, ViralEpitopesPeptidyl-Dipeptidase ASingle-Domain AntibodiesSpike Glycoprotein, Coronavirusspike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID32887876
PMCPMC7473855
OpenAlexW3081714253

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.