The
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently invited Expressions of
Interest (EOI) from eligible institutions, companies, and manufacturers for the
development and production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the Nipah
Virus Disease (NiV).This initiative marks a significant step toward
strengthening indigenous biomedical research and pandemic preparedness in
India.
Main point
¨ This
initiative aims to create an indigenous and deployable stock of monoclonal
antibodies as the only viable biomedical countermeasure in the absence of a
licensed vaccine.
¨
The ICMR will extend technical support and
expert guidance to industry partners throughout the research, development, and
production phases.
¨
The monoclonal antibodies will be used
both for treatment in early infection and for post-exposure prophylaxis in
high-risk contacts.
¨
The National Institute of Virology in Pune
has already made significant progress in experimental research related to this
therapy.
¨
The repeated Nipah outbreaks in India,
especially in Kerala since 2018, have highlighted the urgency of developing
indigenous therapeutic solutions.
¨ The
ICMR stated that the project will strengthen national health security and
reduce dependency on foreign sources during future outbreaks.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
¨ ICMR
was established in 1911 is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the
world.
¨
Mandate:Apex body in India for the
formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research.Conduct,
coordinate, and implement medical research for societal benefit.Translate
medical innovations into products/processes and introduce them into the public
health system.
¨
Vision: Translating Research into Action
for Improving the Health of the Population
¨ Headquartered
in New Delhi, India.
Monoclonal
Antibodies (mAbs)
¨ Monoclonal
antibodies (also called moAbs or mAbs) are proteins made in laboratories that
act like natural antibodies produced in our bodies.
¨
Antibodies are parts of the immune system
that seek out antigens (foreign materials) and attach to them to neutralise or
destroy them.
¨
The word “monoclonal” refers to the fact
that these laboratory-created antibodies are clones, exact copies of a single
type of antibody.
¨ They
provide passive immunity by directly targeting pathogens, helping the body
fight infections.
Importance for Nipah
¨ ICMR
emphasised that monoclonal antibody stocks are the only currently feasible
biomedical countermeasure for Nipah, given the high fatality and absence of
vaccines.
mAbs can serve as post-exposure prophylaxis for
high-risk groups such as:
¨ Healthcare
workers exposed without adequate protection,
¨
Family members in close contact with
patients,
¨
Laboratory personnel with accidental
exposure.
¨ If
administered early, mAbs can prevent disease onset, as demonstrated in animal
models.
In early-stage patients, monoclonal antibodies may:
¨ Reduce
viral load,
¨
Limit disease progression,
¨
Complement supportive critical care.
¨ This
dual use, preventive and therapeutic, makes mAbs a vital tool in outbreak
response.
Nipah Virus
¨ Nipah
virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and
can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
¨
It was first recognised during an outbreak
in Malaysia in 1998, which was linked to infected pigs.
¨
In India, most infections have been
associated with the consumption of fruits or palm sap contaminated by fruit bat
secretions.
¨
The infection can be asymptomatic or cause
severe respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis in humans.
¨
The incubation period usually ranges from
4 to 14 days but may extend up to 45 days in some cases.
¨
There is currently no approved antiviral
drug or vaccine for Nipah virus infection.
¨ Fruit
bats of the Pteropus genus are the natural reservoir, and the infection can
also cause severe disease in pigs.
