Early antibody production key to COVID-19 recovery

The speed of patients' antibody production - rather than the volume of antibodies they produce to fight the new coronavirus - determines whether they will survive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), new data suggest.

Researchers who studied more than 200 COVID-19 patients, including 179 who were hospitalized, found those who produced so-called neutralizing antibodies within 14 days of developing symptoms eventually recovered, while those who did not produce neutralizing antibodies until more than 14 days had elapsed developed higher viral loads and more severe disease.

"It is unclear why antibodies generated after this time point are unable to promote viral clearance and recovery in COVID-19 patients," the researchers said in a report posted on medRxiv ahead of peer review.

Study leader Akiko Iwasaki of the Yale University School of Medicine tweeted on Saturday, "It's possible that virus somehow becomes resistant by hiding in inaccessible tissues."

The new findings, she added, suggest therapy with so-called monoclonal antibody drugs - such as those from Regeneron given to US President Donald Trump -- is likely to work only if used soon after infection. -- Reuters