Investigational Ebola treatment proves adult-safe in early clinical trial

An investigational Ebola treatment — mAb114 — recently passed an early-stage clinical trial without incident, according to a study published in The Lancet.

MaB114 is a monoclonal antibody developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center (VRC). It prevents Ebola from infecting human cells by tying itself to the core receptor binding domain of its surface protein. Discovered in a survivor of a Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based outbreak in 1995, it was previously tested on monkeys.

Participants in the Phase 1 clinical trial were given a single dose of mAb114 administered over 30 minutes. The dose sizes varied between the 18 patients, but only four participants noted mild side effects, like discomfort, general aches and pains, or headaches.

The drug is now being offered to Ebola patients in the DRC as part of Phase 2/3 clinical trial and an additional Phase 1 trial is planned for Africa. Authors of the report noted the drug’s use could make for easier and speedier means of combating Ebola outbreaks, especially given its transportation ease, since it is not restricted to freezer storage.