Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The International Center for Molecular Allergology under the Ministry of Innovative Development and the Vienna Medical University in Austria are implementing a project to produce immune milk against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Scientists of the Biotechnology and Comparative Medicine Group of the International Center for Molecular Allergology under the Ministry of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan have already obtained prototypes of immune milk from a cow vaccinated with the Chinese-Uzbek vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC2001.

The resulting immune milk has the ability to neutralize the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the ACE-2 receptor of a human cell, which reduces the likelihood of the virus entering cells and multiplying. Potentially immune milk and products from it can be recommended for use on an industrial scale.

For the production of immune colostrum and milk containing neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a cooperation agreement was signed between the International Center for Molecular Allergology under the Ministry of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan and PanaevFarms. At present, a full three-time vaccination with the Chinese-Uzbek vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC2001 has been performed on 31 purebred Simmental breeding cows, as well as Holstein cows imported from Austria and Germany.

Scientists have shown that the maximum amount of neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is contained in the colostrum of cows vaccinated with the Chinese-Uzbek vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC2001 during pregnancy. At the end of January, the cows began to calve. Experimental samples of immune colostrum and milk were obtained for further clinical and laboratory studies.

In addition, a long pasteurization process in compliance with the state standards of the Republic of Uzbekistan retained all the properties of milk, including the neutralizing activity of antibodies. In addition to immune milk, it is planned to produce tablets that are absorbable from the obtained raw materials, as well as sprays with vanilla, mint, and lemon flavors for the oral cavity. Immune milk and dairy products can be recommended for industrial production.

Simultaneously with domestic scientists, the idea of using cow's milk as a possible source of fight against Covid-19 is being actively discussed by Spanish scientists, in particular, at the Faculty of Animal Health of the University of Córdoba.

It should be noted that the resulting product can be used for mass passive immunization of the population. An article about this study was sent to international scientific journals and posted on the BioRxiv portal, where scientific articles on biology are published.

Considering the studies of scientists from Harvard Medical School, who proved that the concentrate of IgG immunoglobulins cows is resistant to digestion in the human stomach with the preservation of a specific binding and neutralizing activity, the resulting product does not need additional intake of antacids or making it into enteric capsules.