Human testing of a neutralizing antibody discovered by researchers at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center (VVC) has begun in Rwanda following an outbreak of deadly hemorrhagic Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) that killed at least 15 people, according to news accounts.
Developed by San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., the potential treatment, called MBP091, was derived from a human monoclonal antibody isolated by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers 12 years ago from the survivor of a Marburg virus infection.
A close cousin of Ebola, the Marburg virus is transmitted by fruit bats and by exposure to body fluids from infected individuals. There currently are no approved treatments or vaccines for MVD, which has a roughly 50% fatality rate.
As of Oct. 15, Rwanda health officials had reported 62 confirmed cases of MVD and 15 deaths. The outbreak, which began in the East African nation in late September, has now been contained, according to the Indo-Asian News Service.
Directed by James Crowe Jr., MD, the Ann Scott Carell Professor and professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology at VUMC, the VVC is known internationally for isolating and developing human monoclonal antibodies with the potential to treat and prevent emerging viral infections, including COVID-19.
“Our ability to immediately provide an antiviral antibody for this fatal virus at the onset of an outbreak from stockpiled antibodies prepared prior to the event validates the whole idea of our AHEAD100 program to make antibodies for the 100 mostly likely viruses with outbreak potential,” Crowe said.
“So many viruses are like Marburg,” said VVC co-director Robert Carnahan, PhD, professor of Pediatrics and co-leader of the team that isolated the Marburg antibody. “It is not a question of if, but when, they will break out again and cause human disease and death.
“Over the past few years, the VVC and others have accelerated the ability to rapidly discover and develop antibody therapeutics for viral pathogens,” Carnahan said. “This is a perfect example of our preferred approach to get ahead of the problem and create antibody solutions before a dire need arises.”
VVC researchers are working with the federal government and industry to advance into clinical trials Mpox-neutralizing antibodies they isolated in 2016. Cases of Mpox, a virus formerly known as monkeypox, currently are surging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries.
VUMC’s collaboration with Mapp Biopharmaceutical to develop monoclonal antibody therapies for Marburg and Ebola infections began in 2014.
Five years later, Mapp contracted with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to advance MBP091 through the completion of a Phase 1 clinical trial.
BARDA supported development of a Marburg vaccine candidate developed by the nonprofit Sabin Vaccine Institute that also is being tested clinically in Rwanda, along with remdesivir, an antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19.
