A fluffy, long-necked cousin of the camel might be the key to protecting against SARS-like viruses. Yes, you heard that correctly.

In a new study from researchers in Belgium, a team discovered a special antibody that could help protect against a wide range of SARS coronaviruses, including variants of COVID-19.

But what makes these antibodies different? For starters, they’re tiny. And they come from llamas — specifically, one named Winter.

These llama antibodies are much smaller than human antibodies. Appropriately referred to as nanobodies, the tiny protectors pack a big punch. Instead of going after parts of the virus that constantly mutate, like the receptor binding site of a spike protein, the part of the virus that enables it to infect human cells, these nanobodies take a different approach. They latch onto a hidden, essential section at the base of the spike protein. This section is vital because the virus can’t change it without weakening itself.

One way to think about it is to consider these nanobodies like clamps. Once attached, they lock the spike protein into a closed shape, stopping the virus from fusing with and entering human cells. Thus far, they have worked in lab animals at low doses, making it difficult for a virus needing to mutate to escape. Notably, the few successful variants that did escape were less infectious.

While most antibodies are outmaneuvered by new variants, these llama-derived nanobodies might just be one step ahead. By targeting a stable, hard-to-mutate region, researchers say they offer a promising path toward long-lasting antiviral therapies.

How’s that for interspecies collaboration?