{
  "id": 14780947,
  "title": "A mosaic RBD-nanoparticle pan-sarbecovirus vaccine elicits nanobodies that target highly conserved epitopes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/a-mosaic-rbd-nanoparticle-pan-sarbecovirus-vaccine-elicits-nanobodies",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-15T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.758647v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, frequently undergoes mutations, leading to the emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs). The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, a critical target for vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, has experienced substitutions resulting in reduced vaccine and antibody effectiveness. For instance, most anti-RBD therapeutic monoclonal antibodies previously authorized have become ineffective against newer VOCs such as Omicron. To tackle the impact of VOC substitutions on therapeutic antibody efficacy, researchers explored single-domain nanobodies (VHHs) targeting more conserved regions of the RBD across various variants of concern (VOCs). They employed a Beacon optofluidic platform to isolate and analyze single memory B cells from llamas immunized with a mosaic RBD-nanoparticle immunogen designed to generate a broad antibody response against sarbecoviruses. Through multiplex binding assays and analysis of VHH-RBD complex structures, they discovered nanobodies that bind to spike RBDs from diverse sarbecovirus strains, including those inaccessible to conventional two-domain antibodies. These single-domain nanobodies not only neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern but also protect against zoonotic sarbecoviruses, indicating their potential therapeutic utility in combating current and future outbreaks.",
  "summary": "SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continually mutates, producing new variants of concern (VOCs). Substitutions in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) have resulted in reduced efficacies of vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Indeed, since the emergence of Omicron and earlier VOCs, most previously approved anti-RBD therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}