Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin claim they may have cracked the Covid code by discovering a new antibody that could be used to create a vaccine that could combat all variants of the virus, including those that have not emerged yet.

The UT scientists say they found the new antibody, known as SC27, in the blood sample of a single patient from the Lone Star State’s Capital, according to a report from KUT, a station under National Public Radio’s network. 

Their findings, which were published in a new study, show that the SC27 can bind to spike proteins like previous antibodies, but what makes it stand out is its ability to recognize when those proteins change shape as new variants develop.

“The discovery of SC27, and other antibodies like it in the future, will help us better protect the population against current and future Covid variants,” head researcher of the study from the UT Austin’s McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Jason Lavinder, said in a press release by the school.

The research team believes that the new antibody can be used to create a game-changing vaccine that can protect against the ever-shifting nature of Covid and other related viruses.

“One goal of this research … is to work toward a universal vaccine that can generate antibodies and create an immune response with broad protection to a rapidly mutating virus,” said Will Voss, one of the project’s leaders, in a released statement.

In further comment to KUT, Mr. Voss said, “Due to its remarkable ability to potently neutralize even the most recent variants, SC27 could fill this void.”

The UT Austin research team, which worked in conjunction with other institutions, including the University of North Carolina, has filed for a patent for the antibody.