Novel Treatment for Ebola Virus
A new treatment for the Ebola virus is being developed through an agreement between the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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The drug is made of monoclonal antibodies that bind to a key Ebola viral protein and neutralize the virus. The technologies Regeneron used allow for rapid discovery, development, and production of monoclonal antibodies, according to HHS, which makes the system “potentially well suited for generating therapeutic drugs during public health emergencies when turnaround time is critical,” according to HHS. The technology sped the discovery and development of this drug through the pipeline in just 9 months, compared with the normal development cycle of several years.
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The ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority will provide up to $38 million over the next 2 years to support development and manufacturing of the experimental drug for use in studies.