A multimechanistic antibody targeting the receptor binding site potently cross-protects against influenza B viruses.

The article describes the generation and characterization of a chimeric monoclonal antibody, C12G6, that cross-neutralizes representative viruses spanning the 76 years of influenza B antigenic evolution since 1940. Topics covered include the reason why the effectiveness of existing antiviral drugs for the treatment of influenza infection is limited, passive immune protection through neutralization of antibodies, and graphs that show in vitro binding activities of C12G6.