San Francisco: Malaria is still the leading cause of death worldwide. In this regard, human trials of antibody therapy were initiated. Thus, the Phaseon human trial has yielded very promising results.
According to the published results, the scientists created an anti-malarial antibody and administered it to volunteers as a vaccine. All healthy individuals were then purposely placed in a malarial environment to prevent them from contracting malaria. Surprisingly, not a single volunteer got malaria.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with the Medicines for Malaria venture has developed antibodies that are used in place of vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies called L-Nine LS were given to volunteers by a single injection. A total of 17 healthy subjects were recruited in the Phase II study. They were given different diets.
The malaria-fighting proteins are strengthened thanks to the injection of an antibody called L-nine Ls. But the time of effectiveness of antibodies is much shorter than that of vaccines and the effect in the body gradually wears off. Even only effective for a few weeks or months.
Two to six weeks after being vaccinated with antibodies, all participants were bitten by malaria mosquitoes, and two of the 17 people became ill. One of them was given the lowest dose by injection into a vein and the other was injected into the skin.
These are very encouraging results that demonstrate the usefulness of the next generation of L-nine LS monoclonal antibodies. It will protect children especially from deadly malaria. It is believed that if a child under the age of five is given a single pill, he will be protected from malaria for the next six months.
Although their duration is shorter than that of vaccines, it should be noted that last year, a lot of claims were made about the malaria vaccine, ‘Mosquirx’, but preliminary testing has proved unsuccessful. This is why antibodies can provide protection against malaria, with short-term efficacy.