India has reported a total of more than 77 lakh cases, behind only the United States.
New Delhi:
The Serum Institute of India announced Thursday that it has reached an agreement with German pharmaceutical giant Merck and New York-based nonprofit health research organization IAVI to develop a treatment for people infected with the coronavirus.
The three partners say they aim to develop monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 that could help keep people healthy after being infected with the novel coronavirus in an approach separate from research into vaccines.
Monoclonal antibody drugs enlist the natural functions of the immune system to fight disease with molecules produced in the laboratory designed to replace antibodies that can restore, enhance, or mimic the body’s defense system against disease.
The consortium said it wanted to leverage each partner’s expertise, geographic footprint and infrastructure to scale up treatment and ensure equitable global access, especially in low- and middle-income countries where these therapies are out of reach.
“The agreement builds on the advanced antibody discovery and optimization expertise of IAVI and Scripps Research, gained over years of experience in neutralizing antibody research and development. largely HIV, as well as on the significant capabilities of Merck and the Serum Institute in designing and scaling accelerated manufacturing processes for mAb production, ”the group said.
“While the highly potent and widely reactive anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody candidates under development under this partnership prove to be effective in clinical trials, either as a single antibody or as a potential combination of the two candidates, Merck will lead the commercialization in developed countries, ”he said.
“The Serum Institute, which has a track record of developing affordable medicines for over 50 years, is the world‘s leading vaccine producer. Serum Institute will lead global manufacturing and marketing in low- and middle-income countries including India, “he added.
The promise of the treatment comes as India faces a possible spike in COVID-19 cases after ongoing festivals that end in mid-November. The country has reported a total of more than 77 lakh cases, behind only the United States.
It also coincides with reports of government plans to set aside around Rs 50,000 crore for vaccines, with the central government estimating an overall cost of around Rs 500 per person for the shot, according to Bloomberg.
