Development and characterization of anti-SARS-CoV-2 intravenous immunoglobulin from COVID-19 convalescent plasma

Background: The authors describe the developmental process of intravenous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin from anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody-containing plasma. Furthermore, the authors investigated its safety and protective activity in animal models. Materials & methods: The manufacturing process included standard ethanol fractionation, chromatographic purification steps and virus removal or inactivation. Results: The authors produced pure and safe immunoglobulin for intravenous administration, with 98.1 ± 6.5 mg/ml protein content, of which 97.6 ± 0.7% was IgG. The concentration factor of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies was 9.4 ± 1.4-times. Safety studies in animals showed no signs of acute/chronic toxicity or allergenic or thrombogenic properties. Intravenous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin protected immunosuppressed hamsters against SARS-Cov-2. Conclusion: The obtained results can allow the start of clinical trials to study the safety and efficacy in healthy adults.