IQ Corporation BV today announced a breakthrough in its research into the development of a post-exposure treatment for anthrax. Its business unit IQ Therapeutics has developed a number of fully human antibodies that recognize anthrax' deadly toxin and neutralize its function. These antibodies will form the basis for a drug that may rescue victims of possible future anthrax exposures, and protect people in high risk environments.
The research was partly funded by the Dutch and Italian Ministries of Defense, in the context of a Western European Union research project. The antibodies were developed with support from Dstl Porton Down, UK, the Medical Biotechnology Center in Baltimore, MD, the US Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, MD, and with the aid of a number of individuals receiving the UK or US anthrax vaccine, whose protective immune response was used as the starting point for monoclonal antibody development.
Respiratory anthrax is caused by the inhalation of spores of the Bacillus anthracis bacterium into the lungs. The spores are taken up by the body, and germinate to form growing bacteria producing their deadly toxin. The bacterial growth can be treated successfully with antibiotics, but the antibiotics will not neutralize the toxin. This toxin, when left untreated and allowed to exceed a critical level, will eventually cause the patient's death. Preventive vaccination is performed in the specific area's of US and UK military and can give protection against Anthrax-infections.
The human monoclonal antibodies developed by IQ Therapeutics selectively and specifically prevent the deadly toxin from binding to the target tissue as demonstrate din laboratory experiments (in vitro). As such, they neutralize the function of the toxin, and therefore, they may prove ideal therapeutic agents. Not only can they serve as passive immunization agents to rescue military and civilian victims exposed to anthrax, but they can also serve as prophylactics to protect military personnel and bioweapon inspectors deployed on high risk missions. IQ Therapeutics estimates to have the antibody based therapeutic on the market early 2005.
The results of this research will be presented on September 11, at the "3rd International Conference on Dangerous Pathogens´ in the UK.
Subscribe to our RSS Feed 