antibodies

Promising results from a Phase 1 human trial testing a novel monoclonal antibody treatment designed to prevent malaria infection reveal almost every volunteer resisted infection after being deliberately exposed to malaria.

Clumps of misfolded proteins that gather in the brain have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. Now, newly identified nanobodies show promise in destabilizing the structure of these clumps, potentially leading to new treatments.

New research has found a long bout of moderate exercise following COVID-19 or influenza vaccination can amplify the body’s immune response. The study showed 90 minutes of exercise immediately after vaccination increased antibody responses weeks later.

The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for bebtelovimab, a monoclonal antibody designed to reduce risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. This comes after previous antibody treatments were found to be ineffective against Omicron.

Researchers in Japan have demonstrated a new antibody treatment for prostate cancer. The drug helps reverse a nasty trick that cancer cells play on the immune system, with promising results shown in experiments in dogs with the cancer.

New research is showing promising preclinical signs for an experimental mRNA vaccine targeting HIV. The vaccine was found to generate robust responses in mice and primates but still needs more optimization before moving to preliminary human trials.

The FDA has authorized the first COVID-19 drug designed to prevent infection in immunocompromised populations. The monoclonal antibody treatment is delivered by intramuscular injection and offers robust protection from infection for up to six months.

The immune system is a powerful weapon, but sometimes it can attack things that are trying to help us. A new preclinical treatment could one day help, using a kind of “reverse vaccine” to train the immune system to ignore specific drugs or molecules.

A new monoclonal antibody treatment has been found to protect chronically ill adults from developing COVID-19. The Phase 3 trial results suggest the novel antibody cocktail, delivered by intramuscular injection, could offer up to 12 months protection.

Contraceptives like the pill may be effective, but messing with hormones has a range of unpleasant side effects. Now researchers are experimenting with a new non-hormonal contraceptive based on antibodies, which stops sperm swimming through mucus.

A clinical trial run by the NIH exploring the efficacy of convalescent plasma in treating mild to moderate COVID-19 patients has been halted. In a similar conclusion to prior trials, the once-promising treatment was deemed unlikely to be of any benefit.

Promising interim data testing the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody cocktail developed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection has been announced, but there are concerns the prohibitive cost of producing the therapy will limit widespread use.