Monoclonal Antibody News and Research

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Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are produced from a single B cell clone and can bind to a single type of antigen binding site. MAbs are homogenous antibodies that cannot form lattices with monomeric proteins as they can bind to only a single epitope on the antigen. Developed in the 1970s, MAbs can be produced against any given substance. Thus they can be used to detect and purify any substance of interest. This has made MAbs a powerful tool of molecular biology, biochemistry, and medicine.

Researchers identify drug that improves survival in critically ill COVID-19 patients

Researchers at Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey's largest and most comprehensive health network, have utilized its statewide observational database of more than 5,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients to show that a drug normally used in rheumatoid arthritis and cancer treatments, tocilizumab, improves hospital survival in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

19 Aug 2020

Coronacept - A trap-and-destroy molecule against SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 reports a novel engineered molecule based on human and other mammalian orthologues of ACE2 fused with the Fc part of the antibody. This molecule interacts more tightly with the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) to constitute a powerful immunoadhesin that targets the virus for destruction.

17 Aug 2020

Scientists identify genetic link to predict treatment response in patients with aggressive blood cancer

A Singapore team led by clinician-scientists and researchers from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) discovered a genetic link to better predict treatment response for relapsed/refractory patients with natural- killer T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), a highly aggressive form of blood cancer.

13 Aug 2020

Reelin inhibition may be effective for treating multiple sclerosis

In an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), decreasing the amount of a protein made in the liver significantly protected against development of the disease's characteristic symptoms and promoted recovery in symptomatic animals, UTSW scientists report.

12 Aug 2020

Baylor Scott & White Research Institute enrolls first patients in NIH ACTIV-3 clinical trial

On Wednesday, August 5, in Dallas, just one day after the initiative was launched by the National Institutes of Health, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute enrolled the first patient in the world for the ACTIV-3 clinical trial. A second patient was enrolled the following day.

10 Aug 2020

Potential antibody treatment for yellow fever developed in 7 months using Rapid Response Strategy

Yellow fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, infects about 200,000 people and causes an estimated 30,000 deaths each year.

5 Aug 2020

ACTG initiates novel clinical trial to evaluate multiple therapeutics for COVID-19

The AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the world's largest and longest established HIV research network, today announced the initiation of the ACTIV-2 Outpatient Monoclonal Antibodies and Other Therapies Trial, which will be conducted by the ACTG.

4 Aug 2020

NIH trial to evaluate potential new therapeutics for mild, moderate COVID-19

A Phase 2 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential new therapeutics for COVID-19, including an investigational therapeutic based on synthetic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat the disease.

4 Aug 2020

Picomolar inhibitors to SARS-CoV-2 proteins

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the development of mini-inhibitors based on computational design, that are suitable for such topical use.

4 Aug 2020

Clinical trial to test safety, efficacy of antibody treatment in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Patients admitted with COVID-19 at select hospitals may now volunteer to enroll in a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a potential new treatment for the disease.

4 Aug 2020

Scientists develop human lung organoids to study SARS-CoV-2 infection

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 reports the development of a human distal lung culture system that can be functionally tested. This will help not only to understand how this infection produces disease but also to test the proliferative capacity of the stem cells in this part of the body.

30 Jul 2020

Basigin/CD147 discarded as an accessory SARS-CoV-2 binding receptor

By using specialized assays customized to detect specific receptor interactions, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge UK find no evidence for direct binding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein to a transmembrane glycoprotein known as basigin.

28 Jul 2020

MP Biomedicals and A*STAR jointly develop rapid antibody test kit for COVID-19

MP Biomedicals Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a diagnostic corporation which has been operating for over 30 years focusing on various infectious disease testing development and manufacturing, today announced the successful development of a rapid antibody test kit for COVID-19, in collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

From MP Biomedicals, LLC 25 Jul 2020

NIH establishes a unified clinical trial network for testing COVID-19 vaccines

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has established a new clinical trials network that aims to enroll thousands of volunteers in large-scale clinical trials testing a variety of investigational vaccines and monoclonal antibodies intended to protect people from COVID-19.

8 Jul 2020

New technology can rapidly disrupt existing biofilms that account for chronic diseases

Chronic and recurrent bacterial diseases are treatment-resistant due to the ability of the pathogens to establish biofilms, which act as fortresses built of extracellular DNA and proteins to protect populations of the bacteria.

8 Jul 2020

Study sheds new light on protein movement

Many of the most promising medicines under development are proteins, often antibodies, to help patients fight disease. These proteins must be purified as part of the manufacturing process - a task that can be tricky and result in costly waste.

8 Jul 2020

Repurposed drug for acute lung injury in COVID-19

Now, a new study addresses the possible use of an FDA-approved monoclonal antibody, called fostamatinib, a spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor (SYK), to reduce the levels of mucin-1, a molecule associated with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). People who have severe COVID-19 disease may develop ARDS.

2 Jul 2020

Protein profile in serum reflects COVID-19 severity

The wide range of manifestations of COVID-19 has continued to baffle investigators. Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that blood proteins in COVID-19 patients change over time, and these can possibly predict or reflect the severity of disease. More, they may present targets for treatment.

25 Jun 2020

Hormone involved in obesity could increase the risk for sepsis infection

A group of scientists from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, led by Luís Moita, discovered that a hormone that has been pointed out as a treatment for obesity reduces the resistance to infection caused by bacteria and is a risk factor for sepsis.

22 Jun 2020

New therapy provides relief in patients with chronic low back pain

A new study has found that tanezumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits nerve activity, provides relief in patients with chronic low back pain, one of the leading reasons why people seek medical care and the number one cause of disability worldwide.

19 Jun 2020