We are actively conducting research on COVID-19 with the goal of developing an antibody-based treatment. Additionally, we are maintaining limited laboratory operations in order to better serve our customers and collaborators who are doing their utmost in the fight against the pandemic. Follow the latest updates here.
Track record of pandemic response
As a leader in immune repertoire sequencing and research, iRepertoire has an established track record in pandemic response. Our founder, Jian Han, M.D., Ph.D., was awarded a Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for his work during the SARS outbreak. Dr. Han’s team also worked to respond to H5N1, H1N1, H7N9, and Zika. At the HundsonAlpha Campus, we have the privilege of collaborating with several neighboring/sister companies that are also working to find diagnostic solutions for combating COVID-19.
Read more about the HudsonAlpha activities surrounding COVID-19 here
Developing a treatment
The typical defense against pandemics are vaccines; however, due to the pipeline from development, to testing, to market, vaccines take years to establish. With the novel coronavirus, we do not have years. According to Rick Myers, PhD, president and scientific director for HudsonAlpha, “A COVID-19 treatment is the best way to bridge the gap until a vaccine is widely available.”
iRepertoire is currently working to develop a treatment based on antibodies. Antibody-based treatments, unlike vaccines, can also effectively be used to treat patients who are already infected. Dr. Han always says “the immune system is nature’s best doctor.” By examining the immune repertoire of patients who have successfully recovered from COVID-19 infection, we can develop a blueprint for antibodies that might help treat future patients.
We are currently analyzing samples from patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19 through Huntsville Hospital, under a Hunstville Hospital IRC approved protocol. “By understanding the immune system of patients that have effectively fought the pathogen, we can pinpoint the exact identity of cells that effectively eliminate the virus out of millions of possibilities” says Dr. Han on this current study. With this growing body of insight into patient proteins, we seek to guide development of an effective treatment for the disease.
Supporting your research
At iRepertoire, we’re doing our part to ensure social distancing, while still making sure we can support the research that’s going to lead to COVID-19 diagnostics and treatments. We’ve split our research group into small teams that work in shifts with ample sterilization procedures in between. At this time, we do not anticipate a delay in sending products out or in completion of service projects.
Latest COVID-19 news
How can you be part of the solution?
We are currently seeking samples from infected patients and collaborators who could help produce anti-COVID-19 antibodies at scale. Contact us now if you could be a collaborator in this effort.