Not Vaccination but an Antibody is Available Now for Nipah Virus

The life-threatening Nipah Virus is proved to be the most hazardous infection to human life. The lack of any treatment resulted in the death of around 15 people in Kerala, India till date. This provoked the scientists to develop any kind of vaccines, antibodies, drugs by which Nipah can be protected or cured.

And, as per recent updates, it has been announced that an antibody is soon going to arrive in India for Nipah-Virus. This Human Monoclonal Antibody (M 102.4) is developed by Dr Christopher C Broder from Australia, which is a non-patented drug. Since this antibody has to perform some clinical trials, it is still referred to as a number and not by a name.

Because it is an antibody and not a vaccine, it will neutralize the effects of Nipah Virus. The trial for the same has been found effective in vitro (the test tube cells or microorganism) but not on humans till now, but can be used on compassionate grounds.

To get the precautions and treatment at the earliest, the Kerala State Health Department and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had been trying to procure it through the WHO.

The efforts are in the process to procure the cell line which Dr Christopher, Australia had used to develop the antibody. The antibody (M 102.4) for Nipah will reach India on Thursday night, and the news is confirmed by Rajeev Sadanandan, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala. He confirmed the package from the University of Queensland will first reach Delhi, and then to Kerala. And once the ICMR gets the cell line, even in India, the manufacturing process of the antibodies can be initiated.  

With the arrival of the Nipah-Virus antibody, there is much hope for the people who are suffering from the Nipah Virus infection and are critical.