The 2019 coronavirus pandemic remains a major public health concern. Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) represent a cutting-edge antiviral strategy. We focus here on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-CoV, and discuss current progress in antibody research against rampant SARS-CoV-2 infections. We provide a perspective on the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-derived nAbs, comparing these with existing SARS-CoV-derived antibodies. We offer insight into how these antibodies cross-react and cross-neutralize by analyzing available structures of spike (S) glycoprotein–antibody complexes. We also propose ways of adopting antibody-based strategies – such as cocktail antibody therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 – to overcome the possible resistance of currently identified mutants and mitigate possible antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) pathologies. This review provides a platform for the progression of antibody and vaccine design against SARS-CoV-2, and possibly against future coronavirus pandemics.

2019 年冠状病毒大流行仍然是一个主要的公共卫生问题。中和抗体 (nAb) 代表了一种尖端的抗病毒策略。我们在此重点关注严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 和 SARS-CoV，并讨论针对猖獗的 SARS-CoV-2 感染的抗体研究的当前进展。我们对 SARS-CoV-2 衍生的 nAb 的机制提供了一个视角，并将它们与现有的 SARS-CoV 衍生抗体进行了比较。我们通过分析刺突 (S) 糖蛋白-抗体复合物的可用结构，深入了解这些抗体如何发生交叉反应和交叉中和。我们还提出了采用基于抗体的策略的方法——例如针对 SARS-CoV-2 的鸡尾酒抗体疗法——以克服目前已确定的突变体可能产生的耐药性，并减轻可能的抗体依赖性增强 (ADE) 病理。本综述为针对 SARS-CoV-2 并可能针对未来冠状病毒大流行的抗体和疫苗设计的进展提供了一个平台。