Siga Technologies Inc. has entered into an agreement with Vanderbilt University to obtain a license to a portfolio of preclinical fully human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which could be used as potential treatments for a broad range of orthopoxviruses, including smallpox and mpox.
The World Health Organization has had its collective eye on mpox for some time now, but announced August 14 that the prevalence of the disease in Africa raises the epidemic to a public health emergency of international concern, a change in policy driven by the emergence of a novel strain of the pathogen.
A vaccine based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology against four surface proteins of the envelope and the inner membrane of the mpox virus (MPXV) demonstrated its efficacy in two animal models. Biontech SE scientists designed and tested two different combinations of antigens in mice and macaques for the two infective forms of the virus. One of them showed better results for its evaluation in clinical trials preventing the disease.
Biontech SE and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) have established a strategic partnership to advance mRNA-based vaccine candidates with the development of BNT-166 for the prevention of mpox (formerly monkeypox).
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded Evotec SE’s subsidiary Just-Evotec Biologics Inc. a contract valued up to US$74 million for the rapid development of monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based drug product prototypes targeting orthopoxviruses.
Joining a growing number of diagnostics companies mobilizing to minimize the spread of monkeypox, Novacyt SA and Seegene Inc. reported they have developed new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to quickly diagnose the disease this week. Roche Holding AG released three monkeypox tests for research use in late May. Abbott Laboratories and Becton Dickinson & Co. have similar plans. Stanford Medicine made its own diagnostic available to its patients last week.
