A guide to serum virus neutralization assays

While the level of neutralizing antibody titers needed to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans remains an open question, the assays to test them will be an essential tool for COVID-19 vaccine developers.

The assay is performed by first collecting serum from an immunized animal and heat-inactivating it. The serum, which contains neutralizing antibodies, is then serially diluted, and various dilutions are mixed with either live virus or pseudovirus. ...