India procures monoclonal antibodies from Australia to battle deadly Nipah virus

India has taken a significant step in its preparedness to combat the dangerous Nipah virus by procuring an additional 20 doses of monoclonal antibodies from Australia. 

On Friday, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Director General Rajeev Bahl said: “We got some doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia in 2018. Currently, the doses are available for only 10 patients.”

These antibodies, as per PTI, are vital for the treatment of Nipah virus infections, a disease with a high mortality rate. Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight harmful pathogens.

“Twenty more doses are being procured. But the medicine needs to be given during the early stage of the infection,” said Bahl, adding that it can only given as compassionate use medicine.

He also said that no one so far has been administered the medicine in India.

The ICMR DG also said that the “Mortality among those infected with Nipah virus is very high – between 40 to 70 per cent as compared to that of Covid, which was around 2-3 per cent.”

The decision to acquire these antibodies is a proactive measure following recent Nipah virus outbreaks in various regions of India, including Kerala. 

When asked about why cases keep surfacing in Kerala, Bahl said: “We do not know. In 2018, we found the outbreak in Kerala was related to bats. We are not sure how the infection passed from bats to humans. The link couldn’t be established. Again, we are trying to find out this time. It always happens in the rainy season.”

He said that globally, monoclonal antibodies have been used to successfully treat 14 patients infected with the Nipah virus outside India.

“Only Phase 1 trial to establish the safety of the medicine has been done outside. Efficacy trials have not been done. It can only given as compassionate use medicine,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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