Trial kits for Pfizer’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination study are seen at the Research Centers of America, in Hollywood, Florida, Sept. 24, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Marco Bello.

i24 News – A team of researchers from Tel Aviv University has identified two antibodies that neutralize all known strains of Covid-19, potentially eliminating the need for vaccines against the virus.

The antibodies isolated from the immune system of recovered coronavirus patients demonstrate up to 95 percent efficiency for all strains, including the delta and omicron strains.

The scientists said that the breakthrough could eliminate the need for repeated booster shots and strengthen the immune system, particularly for at-risk populations and those with weakened immunity.

The study was done in collaboration with researchers from Bar-Ilan University in Israel and the University of California San Diego in the United States and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. The findings were published in the journal Communications Biology.

The study is a continuation of a previous study conducted at the height of the pandemic in October 2020 when lead researcher Dr. Natalia Freund and her colleagues collected nine antibodies from recovered patients.

“In the current study, we proved that two other antibodies, TAU-1109 and TAU-2310, which bind the viral spike protein in a different area from the region where most of the antibodies were concentrated until now (and were therefore less effective in neutralizing the original strain) are actually very effective in neutralizing the delta and omicron variants,” Dr. Freund said.

“According to our findings, the effectiveness of the first antibody, TAU-1109, in neutralizing the omicron strain is 92 percent, and in neutralizing the delta strain, 90 percent. The second antibody, TAU-2310, neutralizes the omicron variant with an efficacy of 84 percent, and the delta variant with an efficacy of 97 percent.”

Dr. Freund believes that the antibodies could provide a revolution in the fight against the disease.

“In our view, targeted treatment with antibodies and their delivery to the body in high concentrations can serve as an effective substitute for repeated boosters, especially for at-risk populations and those with weakened immune systems,” she said.

“Covid-19 infection can cause serious illness, and we know that providing antibodies in the first days following infection can stop the spread of the virus. It is therefore possible that by using effective antibody treatment, we will not have to provide booster doses to the entire population every time there is a new variant.”