On February 7, 2021, scientists from Jemincare Shanghai Research Institute published a preprint paper on BioRxiv, the paper entitled "A human antibody with blocking activity to RBD proteins of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants including B.1.351 showed potent prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques", which states that Jemincare's neutralizing antibody JMB2002, now in a phase I clinical trial, showed broad-spectrum in vitro blocking activity against the hACE2 binding to the RBD/S protein of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants including the South African mutant (B.1.351).

Recent papers reported that a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa, has emerged in many countries around the world, with much more resistant to neutralization by vaccine sera, it has caused the concern of epidemiologists.

The preprint paper reported that JMB2002 showed 6.8-fold higher binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 S1 mutant protein of South African mutant B.1.351. compared to that of S1 prototype. Although, the blocking potency of JMB2002 has 2.8-fold decreased, but still 12-fold higher than that of hACE2-Fc against the South African mutant, it indicated that JMB2002 would likely keep the neutralize potency against the South Africa mutant.

JMB2002, an anti SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, was independently developed by Jemincare Research Institute and started the phase I clinical trial last month. Preclinical data indicated that JMB2002 can precisely occupy the key epitope of the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 with human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2) binding interface, and has strong binding and blocking activities to the spike glycoproteins of mutant viruses.

The results from China indicate that prophylactic and therapeutic intervention of SARS-CoV-2 utilizing JMB2002 would likely slow down the transmission of currently emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants and lead to more efficient control of the COVID-19 pandemic.