mAbs could play an important complementary role to COVID-19 vaccines – both in treatment and prevention, especially for those who, due to age or medical conditions, may not benefit from vaccination.
By Health Analytics Asia
Experts speculate that COVID-19 will become an endemic, or permanently circulating disease. Given the severity of symptoms in a significant proportion of people affected, effective therapies will be necessary to treat those who remain unvaccinated or whom vaccination does not protect.
The development of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to address the COVID-19 pandemic shows immense potential. Recently, IAVI, a non-profit scientific research organisation, and Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of vaccines and biologics, announced an agreement with Merck, a leading science and technology company, to work on the innovative intervention.
Early results
Scientists at IAVI’s Neutralizing Antibody Center (NAC), along with fellow immunologists at Scripps Research, were part of a team that identified antibodies from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients that are capable of potently neutralising SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Animals that received these neutralising antibodies were protected against the disease after challenge with SARS-CoV-2. The results were published in Science in June 2020. The portfolio of mAbs identified by IAVI and Scripps Research scientists provides the foundation for a comprehensive programme with potential application to COVID-19 treatment and prevention as well as to other coronaviruses that may arise or re-emerge in the future.
mAbs have the potential to play an important complementary role to COVID-19 vaccines – both for treatment and potentially for prevention, especially for those individuals who, due to age or medical conditions, may not benefit from vaccination.
Collaborative efforts
Building on the advanced antibody discovery and optimisation expertise of IAVI and Scripps Research, gained from years of experience in HIV broadly neutralising antibody research and development, the global development plan is powered by key collaborations.
Under IAVI’s agreement with Merck and Serum Institute, the partners will conduct an accelerated, integrated programme of preclinical and clinical research to evaluate the antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19. A Phase I clinical trial is expected to start early in 2021. Should the mAb candidates being developed be shown to be safe and efficacious, Merck and Serum Institute will help ensure that the therapy is rapidly and widely available and accessible.
While Merck will lead commercialisation in developed countries, the Serum Institute will lead global manufacturing and commercialisation in low- and middle-low-income countries, including India.
IAVI recently published a global call to action, commissioned by Wellcome, highlighting the lack of equitable access to mAbs in low- and middle-income countries. The publication proposes a set of actions that could solve the access problem, including a call for global health players to form innovative partnerships to address the need for affordable mAbs worldwide.
The post Another promising COVID-19 solution appeared first on Health Analytics Asia.
