News release

From: AAAS

An intranasal prophylactic antibody for the flu shows promise in phase 1 trials

Researchers have designed a prophylactic antibody that’s delivered intranasally and can protect against various strains of the flu, according to new experiments involving mice and nonhuman primates, as well as two phase one clinical trials. The studies also showed that the antibodies were safe, suggesting they could eventually offer a more effective alternative to systemic antibodies that don’t directly target mucosal sites. Despite the development of flu vaccines, seasonal influenza still accounts for as many as 646,000 deaths each year. Furthermore, new strains are constantly emerging, and some of these strains could pose a pandemic health threat. There is a dire need for different types of prophylactics that can protect people against influenza, including antibody therapies. However, most monoclonal antibodies are injected systemically and don’t elicit large amounts of antibodies in mucosal areas such as the nose, where the virus first invades. Now, Anna Beukenhorst and colleagues report on the safety and preliminary efficacy of CR9114, an anti-influenza antibody that can be delivered via the nose. The antibody was safe and well-tolerated in mice and nonhuman primates. The team also tested various doses and dosing schedules, showing that CR9114 provided the best protection against both influenza A and B when given twice a day. The antibody was also safe in two phase one clinical trials involving a total of 143 volunteers, who displayed evidence of antibody accumulation in the nose. Furthermore, antibodies isolated from the noses of treated volunteers could bind to influenza A and B in culture, supporting their neutralizing potential. Beukenhorst et al. note that intranasal antibody formulations offer several advantages over systemic antibodies, since they can be self-administered via nasal sprays and are quicker to roll out during the early stages of outbreaks.