Each year, half the world’s population is at risk from the dengue virus transmitted by mosquitoes, with up to 100 million people hospitalized. but until now There is still no specific drug to treat this disease.
It has been more than a decade Mahidol University by Center of Excellence in Antibody Research The Faculty of Tropical Medicine has been dedicated to research and development of antibody drugs against dengue virus. which has been tested in rats and monkeys The first batch of antibodies has already been signed by foreign pharmaceutical companies to invest in commercial development.
The company now has a dose for testing in volunteers next year (2024), an antibody that binds to the surface protein of the virus. prevents the virus from entering human cells The goal is to treat patients with high fever during the first 7 days of infection.
But the problem is the severity of the disease, such as low platelets Vascular leakage and viral replication occur during the 7-day post-treatment period when first-generation drugs cannot be addressed. New antibodies are now being developed to reduce the severity of the latter 7-day severity.
Prof. Dr. Pongram Ramasuta, Head of the Center of Excellence for Antibody Research Department of Social and Environmental Medicine Faculty of Tropical Medicine Mahidol University reveals the latest achievements at Associate Professor Dr. Pannamthip Ramasut, doctoral student Ms. Rotjanawan Suthichot and her research team were able to develop a new class of antibody drugs that have increased efficiency in reducing the severity of ectopic fever. by being patented And it was published in the world-class academic journal “Biomedicines 2023, 11(1), 227” this year.
by this new antibody It can inhibit the virus during the first 7 days and can also reduce the severity of the disease that will occur in the 7 days after infection. This will be the first time that there is a dengue fever drug that can treat both phases of the illness.
In addition, this innovative antibody has been selected for the commercial development project “Lab to Market” from the “Yothee Medical Innovation District (YMID)” under The National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) has now set up a Spin off company to develop this innovation for commercialization.
The above research results are in the process of laboratory experiments. Scheduled for actual testing in volunteers in 2024, it will be a worthy investment in the country’s health. with the potential of being the perfect antibody drug This can be used to treat dengue fever effectively in the future.