They develop antibody against malaria that passed its first tests in humans

Although mosquitoes may seem harmless insects, their bite can be harmful to humans in cases where they have been infected with a parasite, especially that of malaria.

This disease is common in tropical and subtropical countriesaffecting around 290 million people annually, of which 400 thousand fail to overcome it.

However, recently the results of a phase 1 human trial who had been supplied with a novel antibody treatmentdeveloped for the purpose of preventing malaria infection.

It was later shown that almost all the volunteers had shown immunity after being exposed to malaria. This result demonstrates the potential of this unique treatment to become a key tool in the fight against this deadly disease.

For this test we used optimized monoclonal antibodies called L9LSwhich were directed towards a protein from which the malaria parasite launches the infection.

It is worth mentioning that monoclonal antibodies are highly effective therapeutic tools, although its action lasts for less time than that exerted by vaccines. This is due to the fact that they are pre-existing antibodies designed to degrade over time.

So, when used as a treatment, monoclonal antibodies have a lifetime of a few weeks or several months at most.

In this sense, the researchers in charge of the development of the L9LS pointed out that it has been manipulated in such a way that it can reach a half-life of 56 days, although they do not know the protection time that the application of a single treatment will provide. It is said that this could be for several months in adults, while for children the protection could reach a period of six months.

For the test carried out with the L9LS, there were the participation of 17 healthy peopleof which some were given the treatment with antibodies intravenouslywhile others received it through subcutaneous injections.

Although treatments with monoclonal antibodies do not have an action that lasts for a time equal to or greater than that of vaccines, they are a key factor in the fight against malaria.

In this sense, the infectious disease expert Johanna Daily even expressed that this tool could be decisive in the eradication of the disease if it is reached. combine with effective vaccines.