Tri-Specific Antibodies Effective against HIV Strains in Monkeys

Release Date: 06-Nov-2020

Artificially developed antibodies have been found to be more prominent in protecting monkey from two strains of SHIV and a monkey form of HIV when compared with the natural antibody. The novel developed antibody in the lab is estimated to bind to three different important targets on the HIV. The primary aim of the researchers working on this respective research is to develop a tri-specific antibody against HIV so that the increasing demand of the HIV patients towards an efficient therapy could be ended.  

It is estimated by the researchers that the combination of an antibody capable of binding to three different sites may develop a result that has not been observed in the HIV pharmaceutical market till now. This novel concept is providing the researchers to intrigue into an approach that is very interesting to pursue for the benefit of the patients. The combination of the antibodies that was used in the respective research for neutralizing HIV antibodies were VRC01, PGDM1400, and 10E8v4.

A total of 24 monkeys were evaluated in the study. Out of the 24 monkeys, 8 were given VRC01, another 8 were given PGDM1400 and the trispecific antibody was given to the left-over group of monkey. After the infusion of the antibodies to the monkey, none of the monkeys receiving tri-specific antibody were infected when compared with other groups who received infection after the infusion of the HIV strains into them. Bio-pharmaceutical company called as Sanofi is currently manufacturing the tri-specific antibody in phase 1 clinical trial in order to study the pharmacokinetics of the antibody. It is estimated that the development of tri-specific antibody will make the researchers incline the tri-specific antibody towards other indications too such as cancer and auto-immune diseases.