AV俱乐部

The Atlantic Poultry Research Centre on the AV俱乐部 Agricultural Campus has partnered with AffinityImmuno Inc, in Prince Edward Island, one of the first laboratories to manufacture antibodies against COVID-19.

Following successful production of antibodies in chickens to COVID-19 spike proteins, a partner was needed who had the capacity to increase the number of chickens involved in the process in order to scale-up production.聽 This is where the Faculty of Agriculture stepped in.

鈥淭he initial goal was to involve 100 hens for this research,鈥� explains Associate Professor Bruce Rathgeber. 鈥淎 high demand for COVID-19 spike protein has left us short. We currently have 51 birds and are still planning to have a group of 49 to bring it up to 100 once more protein becomes available.鈥�

The Faculty of Agriculture will send eggs from the injected chickens to AffinityImmuno Inc., who will be harvestingantibodies from the yolks. The antibodies will be evaluated for a manufacturing effort toward the development of a simple-to-use diagnostic device to test for the virus as well as whether someone has been exposed and developed their own immunity.

鈥淎ntibodies against COVID-19 can be useful for a number of applications in the fight to control this disease,鈥� says Dr. Rathgeber. 鈥淪o far we have given our birds two doses of the material and we are closely monitoring their health.鈥�

There is no risk the chickens will become sick from the COVID-19 spike protein as it is only a virus protein and not the complete virus. Additionally, there is no evidence that this virus is active in birds.