More evidence has emerged supporting the theory that the COVID-19 pandemic originated from a lab leak in Wuhan, China. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request reveal that scientists at the Wuhan Virology lab had plans to create coronavirus spike proteins capable of infecting human cells. The proposal, called Project DEFUSE, was created by the nonprofit organization EcoHealth Alliance and involved inserting spike proteins into the backbones of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While the proposal was ultimately denied, the documents suggest that it is highly likely that the experiments led to the creation and release of SARS-CoV-2.
The proposal sought to add spike proteins to furin cleavage sites of SARS-CoV-2, which would make the virus more easily able to bind to human receptor sites. Manipulating bat coronaviruses in this way is believed to have caused the global pandemic. Richard Ebright, a chemical biologist at Rutgers University, stated that the experiments in the grant proposal likely led to the release of SARS-CoV-2.
The documents also revealed that EcoHealth Alliance allegedly hid key facts from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) about the risky research being conducted in a Chinese lab. The proposal stated that the spike protein engineering would take place in a lab in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but a previous draft revealed that most of the experiments were intended to be conducted in Wuhan. This information was hidden from DARPA, the agency funding the project, to increase the chances of approval.
The newly released documents show that after infecting mice with the altered spike protein, the plan was to use vaccines and other drugs to try to neutralize the virus. Monoclonal antibodies, which bind to the spike protein, have been developed and used to treat COVID-19. Experimental mRNA COVID vaccines were also made available under Emergency Use Authorization.
The revelations brought to light by the documents are considered significant evidence supporting the lab leak theory. However, EcoHealth Alliance denies the allegations of withholding information and claims that the proposal was not undertaken because it was not approved by DARPA.
EcoHealth Alliance may face further challenges as they respond to a lawsuit brought by family members of COVID victims who allege that the organization breached its duty to ensure responsible research and created an unreasonable risk.
Overall, the released documents provide compelling evidence for the lab leak theory and raise important questions about the risks and transparency of this type of research. The origins of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be a topic of global interest and investigation.
