SAB Biotherapeutics works to produce anitbodies that can be used to treat complex and evolving human diseases.

During what is becoming a world wide health emergency, their hard work comes in handy.

H1-N1, influenza, and covid-19 are a few of the many complex, diverse and evolving human diseases.

While covid-19 is still fairly new to the general public, there's a group of researchers and scientists right here in Sioux Falls that have been working on a treatment for quite some time.

SAB Biotherapeutics works to produce anitbodies that can be used to treat human diseases.

SAB CEO and President Eddie Sullivan said, "We do this with these very unique animals that we have that produce fully human versions of these unique proteins that fight disease inside of our bodies. And so we're able to target those anitbodies to very specific diseases."

For covid-19 specifically, researchers and scientists don't use the virus itself while developing the potential treatment.

Instead, they use non-infectious sub-units of the virus on genetically designed animals.

"These animals then are able to produce specific antibodies that target and neutralize the virus itself. We can use those antibodies to treat people that are sick with the disease."

Saying it enhances the human body's natural immune response to the disease.

"Our product actually works very naturally inside of the body to not only be able to neutralize the virus, but work with the rest of the immune system..."

It's important know, this is not a vaccine.

"What we are is complementary to vaccines," acting as a treatment for people who get sick.

"Once the patient is sick and they have been diagnosed with the disease, then they can be given this antibody product that is targeted specifically to this disease and that helps them to get better."

SAB is hoping to have this product specific to covid-19 developed by this summer.

The President said they've been communicating with agencies like the FDA and the CDC.

Once the treatment is evaluated, they'll work with these agencies to determine if and how they'll bring it into clinics.