Americans exposed to DRC Ebola can access experimental treatment
The Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that Americans with high-risk exposures to Ebola in Central Africa will have access to an antibody treatment called MBP-134. This treatment, developed by Mapp Biopharmaceuticals in San Diego with funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, has shown promise in animal testing but has not yet undergone clinical trials in humans.
It is not disclosed how many doses of MBP-134 are currently available, as the company stated that BARDA owns the doses. The treatment was prioritized for testing by an expert panel advising the World Health Organization on potential therapeutics for the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda.
An American doctor who contracted Ebola in the outbreak zone was flown to Germany for treatment, along with his family for quarantine. Another doctor with a high-risk exposure is in quarantine in the Czech Republic, but remains healthy. The U.S. government is coordinating the shipment of monoclonal antibodies, including MBP-134, for potential use in high-risk Americans under the FDA’s investigational use mechanisms.
Plans to evacuate any Americans with Ebola to Europe for care have been met with criticism and opposition, with the administration insisting on the necessity of high-level care in Europe. MappBio, founded in 2003, has been working on Ebola monoclonal antibodies for years, with MBP-134 believed to be a pan-Ebola therapy effective against multiple Ebola species.
While only a clinical trial can confirm the efficacy of MBP-134 in humans, the current outbreak provides an opportunity for such trials to take place. The U.S. government has not yet confirmed the provision of doses for a clinical trial, but there are hopes that MBP-134 will be included in the treatments tested. The machinery for conducting clinical trials is already in motion, with partners’ protocols submitted for review by Congolese regulatory authorities.
In conclusion, the availability of MBP-134 as a potential treatment for high-risk Americans exposed to Ebola in Central Africa marks a significant development in the ongoing outbreak response. Clinical trials and further research will be crucial in determining the efficacy of this antibody treatment in humans.
