Scientists have found a hidden weak spot shared by all five known types of the deadly Ebola virus and successfully targeted it with two antibodies which blocked its ability to invade human cells.
In early stage laboratory experiments published in the journal Science, the researchers developed a "Trojan Horse" strategy that allows engineered antibodies to hitch a ride on Ebola to where the virus is most vulnerable before hitting it.
"The success in co-opting the virus itself to dispatch a lethal weapon ... marks a turning point in development of smart therapeutics against infectious diseases," said M. Javad Aman, a scientist and president at the U.S. biotech firm Integrated BioTherapeutics who worked on the team.