Scientists at the biological research institute of Israel have made a ‘significant breakthrough’ in developing an antibody to the COVID-19, said Naftali Bennett, Defence Minister, Israel, on Monday.

In an official statement, Bennet claimed that the ‘monoclonal neutralising antibody’ developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), can defeat the disease causing coronavirus inside the carrier’s body (acting as coronavirus-neutralizing antibodies).

Monoclonal antibodies, as the name suggests, are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell and are believed to be developed more quickly than the vaccines.

The statement said Bennett visited the lab in Ness Ziona on Monday and was shown the ‘antibody that attacks the virus in a monoclonal way’, further neutralizing within the bodies of the patients who are induced with it. However it did not reveal any trials on humans.

It is believed that the development of the antibody has been completed, moved to patent from the development phase, and soon international companies will be approached to produce the same.

The Defence Ministry had earlier reported to an Israel newspaper Haaretz, about the similar kind of progress about the antibody in March, where they denied any ‘breakthrough’, stating they shall update if any advancement is further observed.

‘The biological institute is a world-renowned research and development agency, which relies on experienced researchers and scientists with great knowledge and quality infrastructures. There are now more than 50 experienced scientists working at the institute on researching and developing a medical remedy for the virus,’ it had said.

The Israeli news website Ynet, in February, stated that ‘five shipments of virus samples arrived in Israel from Japan, Italy and other countries, which were brought by a specially secured Defence Ministry courier to IIBR and had been frozen at -80 degrees Celsius.’

Though, many companies have claimed to develop a successful aid for the virus, but, till date, no proven track record is to be found. Many other countries have been looking for alternative medications to experiment with, for the novel coronavirus, until a specific vaccine or medication is produced in the coming time.

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