From Our Partners
Friday, June 24, 2022
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Biosecurity

Promising Drug Candidates Identified for MERS

by Global Biodefense Staff
June 29, 2015
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

MERS coronavirus particles (green) on camel epithelial cells. Credit: NIAID, CSU

As the South Korean epidemic of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) continues unabated, researchers have raced to find treatments for the deadly virus, which has killed more than 400 people since it was first discovered three years ago in Saudi Arabia.

Now, scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., have discovered and validated two therapeutics that show early promise in preventing and treating the disease, which can cause severe respiratory symptoms, and has a death rate of 40 percent.

These therapeutics are the first to succeed in protecting and treating animal models of the MERS virus. The study appears today in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

“While early, this is very exciting, and has real potential to help MERS patients,” says a lead researcher on the study, Matthew B. Frieman, PhD, an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM). “We hope that clinical study will progress on these two antibodies to see whether they can eventually be used to help humans infected with the virus.”

The two antibodies, REGN3051 and REGN3048, showed an ability to neutralize the virus. This research, done in collaboration with Regeneron, a biopharmaceutical company based in Tarrytown, New York, used several of the company’s proprietary technologies to search for and validate effective antibodies targeting the virus.

MERS was first discovered in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. It appears that the disease spread to humans from camels, who may have themselves been infected by bats. Research has shown that it is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS); both are caused by Coronaviruses, both cause respiratory problems, and both are often fatal.

The paper also announced the development a novel strain of mice, which will help scientists understand the disease and look for treatments. This work relied on Regeneron’s VelociGene technology to create partially humanized mice that can be infected with MERS.

“Mice are typically not susceptible to MERS,” said Prof. Frieman, who is an expert on both MERS and SARS, as well as other emerging viruses. “This new mouse model will significantly boost our ability to study potential treatments and help scientists to understand how the virus causes disease in people.”

The South Korean outbreak began last month when a traveler returned from Saudi Arabia, and infected many people before officials realized he had the disease. So far, around 180 people have been infected in South Korea, and nearly 30 have died.

From Our Partners
Tags: Animal ModelsCoronavirusEmerging ThreatsMERS-CoV

Related Posts

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control
Medical Countermeasures

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Biodefense Industry News
Industry News

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Opens Advanced Development Center for Vaccine Programs

June 20, 2022
Dual Use Research of Concern: NIH to Host Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on Oversight Policies
Biosecurity

Dual Use Research of Concern: NIH to Host Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on Oversight Policies

June 14, 2022
Chronic Wasting Disease: The Fatal Prion Infection Killing Elk and Deer in North America
Infectious Diseases

Chronic Wasting Disease: The Fatal Prion Infection Killing Elk and Deer in North America

June 10, 2022
Load More

Latest News

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

June 22, 2022
UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Influenza Research

New Way to Identify Influenza A Virus Lights Up When Specific Virus Targets are Present

June 20, 2022
Biodefense Industry News

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Opens Advanced Development Center for Vaccine Programs

June 20, 2022

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC