Study Found Antibody Therapy Against MERS

Scientists have found an antibody that will treat Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS). The researchers tested the antibody in mice and got effective result. NDTV reported this on February 18, 2016.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease which was first found in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Arovael coronavirus(MERS-Cov) causes this disease. Shortness of breath, cough, fever and pneumonia are the symptoms of MERS. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 36 percent MERS affected patients have died. MERS does not transmit human to human. Actually, it transmits from animals to humans. MERS affected mostly the Middle Eastern countries. Outside the Middle East, it has affected the Republic of Korea largely.

There is no travel ban by World Health Organization(WHO) to MERS affected countries. But WHO cautions everybody to practice general hygiene measures after going contact to animals such as camels. The WHO also suggests all not to consume raw or undercooked animal products such as meat and milk. There is no available vaccine or specific treatment of MERS.

Now come to the new study. The new study has found an antibody which blocks the MERS virus. It was produced by cows. Then the antibody had been genetically modified. Scientists gave cows a new MERS vaccine which led to production of anti-MERS antibodies. Scientists purified the antibodies to produce the therapeutic. They experimented it in the MERS infected mice.

One of the lead researchers Matthew Friema, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, US described the study results as promising. He said that the study results were important because it gave them a potential way to attack MERS and provided evidence that the transgenic cows are able to produce therapeutics rapidly.

The genetically modified cows were provided by SAB, a bio-pharmaceutical company in South Dakota, US. SAB invented the technology. Another company Novavax, a vaccine biotech company in Maryland, US provided the vaccine.

The researchers said that their next step would be a human clinical trial for testing the therapeutic and safety. It will occur within the next three to six months.