ATCC develops and isolates novel avian flu monoclonal antibodies

ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) researchers have developed a panel of novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against avian influenza viruses. These antibodies could lead to a rapid diagnostic test for the infection, ATCC announced today. The organization has filed a patent covering the development of these novel antibodies.

These monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically target the hemagglutinin molecule of three avian influenza A subtypes. Historically, these target viruses have caused lethal outbreaks in poultry. If they acquire the ability to be transmitted efficiently from human to human, they could potentially cause a worldwide pandemic.

"Given the potential for H5, H7 and H9 avian influenza to jump species and cause a public health crisis, we focused our efforts on developing reagents to detect avian influenza strains which have the potential to cause pandemic disease in humans," explained Cohava Gelber, PhD/MBA, ATCC Chief Science and Technology Officer.

The antibody-based diagnostic test that is being developed by ATCC is designed to provide information about the virus subtype, a capability that is not currently found in existing rapid influenza diagnostics. Using a nasal swab, healthcare practitioners could quickly distinguish between a strain of seasonal influenza that is already circulating in the human population and an emerging strain of bird flu, to which humans have no pre-existing immunity.

Although the ATCC research was targeted at a rapid diagnostic test for human infections, it may also be useful for detecting the virus in domestic poultry and wild aquatic birds, the natural reservoirs for influenza viruses.

"Our research represents a major step toward developing a surveillance tool that the public health community can use to protect the population from avian flu and from a possible flu pandemic," said John Simms, PhD, ATCC Product Development Scientist and antibody project leader.

Historical evidence suggests that influenza pandemics have occurred at 10- to 40-year intervals since the 1600s. Most of these pandemics originated in Asia. Three such pandemics have occurred in the 20th century. The most devastating of these was the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919, which killed an estimated 50 million people across the globe.

Most influenza researchers believe that highly pathogenic strains of H5N1 avian influenza have the capacity to accumulate the genetic changes that would allow the virus to be passed easily among humans. To date, the H5N1 avian flu has not shown the ability to do so, although the latest World Health Organization figures estimate that it has infected 387 people and killed 245 globally, since 2003. In addition, several outbreaks have occurred in Asian poultry markets, and in several poultry flocks in Western Europe.

The H7N7 subtype of avian influenza has also developed highly pathogenic variants and has demonstrated the capacity to infect several species, including birds, pigs and humans. H9N2 influenza strains have only been documented in low pathogenic form, but several cases of human infection have been confirmed. As the H5, H7 and H9 subtypes do not currently circulate in humans, there is no pre-existing immunity to these strains in the general population and no prophylactic vaccines are currently available. The ability of these strains to cross the species barrier greatly increases their pandemic potential.

ATCC has patents pending for the isolated avian flu antibodies as well as for methods of using the antibodies to diagnose infections with avian influenza virus.