Sorrento Therapeutics (NSDQ: SRNE), a San Diego-Suzhou biopharma, formed a partnership with Mount Sinai Health System of New York City to develop a triple antibody product desgigned to provide a protective shield against SARS-COV-2 infection. The three antibodies recognize three specific regions of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The antibody is expected to provide up to two months of protection and is intended for people who are returning to work or as a therapy for people who are infected. The antibodies were identified by examining the blood of 15,000 people who recovered from COVID-19.

Sorrento is working on its IND for US trials of the triple antibody combination therapy, with plans to start a Phase I trial in the third quarter of this year.

The screening team was led by Carlos Cordon-Cardo, the Irene Heinz Given and John LaPorte Given Professor and Chair of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The screening used a diagnostic test developed by Florian Krammer, professor of Microbiology at Icahn and authorized under an emergency use authorization by the US FDA. Sorrento has access to plasma containing antibodies against COVID-19 in order to identify and produce monoclonal antibodies that have neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2.

“We’re working with pharma and biotech partners, such as Sorrento, to bring much needed therapies to the clinic,” said Erik Lium, executive vice president and chief commercial innovation officer of the Mount Sinai Health System. “We look forward to advancing the development of an effective antibody cocktail with Sorrento.”

The antibody effort is expected to be a temporary solution until an effective COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. So far, ten plasma companies globally have joined the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, founded to accelerate development of a plasma-derived hyperimmune globulin therapy against COVID-19. The founding companies include Biotest, BPL, CSL Behring, LFB, Octapharma and Takeda, but has since added ADMA Biologics, BioPharma Plasma, GC Pharma and Sanquin.

“It is our belief that as we re-open the country and the economy, we will see local flare-ups of infectious spread of SARS-CoV-2,” said Henry Ji, chairman and CEO of Sorrento Therapeutics. “Unfortunately, with coronaviruses, mutations are part of the equation and could render therapies ineffective over time. It is our intention to develop a triple antibody prophylactic and therapeutic agent that would shield healthcare workers and at-risk patients. This therapy is designed to be resistant to future virus mutations and, if approved, should be made available in support of testing, tracing, vaccination and other therapeutic approaches to allow for efficient management of viral infection by protecting those most at risk for up to two months at a time.”

Sorrento, an antibody biopharma, focuses on therapies for cancer and infectious diseases. Its immuno-oncology platforms include fully human antibodies (G-MAB library), clinical stage immuno-cellular therapies such as CAR-T and DAR-T, intracellular targeting antibodies (iTAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) and a clinical stage oncolytic virus, Seprehvir. Its antiviral therapies include COVIDTRAP, ACE-MAB, COVI-MAB, COVI-SHIELD and COVI-CELL.

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Disclosure: None.