A human antibody against anthrax protective antigen protects rabbits from lethal infection with aerosolized spores

• Published in: Human antibodies Vol. 16; no. 3-4; p. 99
• Main Authors: Wild, Martha A, Kumor, Karen, Nolan, Mary Jean, Lockman, Hank, Bowdish, Katherine S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 2007
• Subjects: Aerosols; Animals; Anthrax - prevention & control; Antibodies, Bacterial - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal - pharmacokinetics; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacterial Toxins - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Lethal Dose 50; Rabbits; Spores, Bacterial
• ISSN: 1093-2607
• DOI: 10.3233/hab-2007-163-404

ALXN4100, a fully human antibody that binds to the protective antigen of anthrax toxin, was generated from a Fab isolated from a phage display library and was analyzed for its pharmacokinetic properties in rabbits and then used to protect rabbits from challenge with a lethal aerosol dose of Bacillus anthracis spores (approximately 322X LD(50)). All rabbits receiving 15 or 40 mg/kg of antibody 24 hours before challenge survived; survival of rabbits receiving 4 mg/kg either subcutaneously or intravenously was 80 or 90%, respectively. Susceptibility to anthrax disease appeared to be correlated with serum antibody concentration. This study indicates that ALXN4100 has the potential to be useful for prophylaxis of anthrax disease in humans.