EARA member Taconic Biosciences have launched a mouse model which could play an important role in the fight against Covid-19.
The mouse has the human version of the ACE2 receptor - which the SARS-CoV-2 viruses uses to enter and infect cells - as other laboratory mice have a different version of the receptor which is not susceptible to infection.
The modification means that the mice will display symptoms of Covid-19, making them valuable for furthering understanding of both early infection and later stages of the disease.
Humanised animal models have been key to understanding the action of Covid-19, as highlighted in a recent Nature paper by the World Health Organization.
Michael Seiler, vice-president of commercial models at Taconic, said of the mice “Our current wait list includes researchers from six continents, demonstrating the ongoing demand for Covid-19 animal models”.