Express | challenge two global infectious diseases, and the Gates Foundation and Vir have teamed up to develop neutralizing antibodies

▎ WuXi AppTec content team editor

Vir Biotechnology recently announced an expanded partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance innovative platform technologies to provide broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies that create a vaccine-effect for the treatment of HIV and malaria.

The new initiatives related to the collaboration include a proof-of-concept clinical trial to evaluate the potential utility of Vir broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies in inhibiting viral replication and viral transmission in HIV-infected people, as well as their ability to produce vaccine-like effects (lasting suppression of HIV without the need for antiretroviral therapy treatment). The two sides also plan to conduct more preclinical studies to assess the potential role of the technology in malaria prevention. The concept of antibodies with vaccine characteristics is currently being applied to Vir's pipeline of candidate products for the treatment of COVID-19, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and influenza A (H1N1). To support these efforts, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will make a $40 million equity investment in Vir and provide a $10 million research grant.

Although some current treatments for HIV infection, such as antiretroviral therapy, can reduce the viral load of HIV, they do not completely eliminate it. Once treatment is stopped, the virus will come back, causing serious health problems and patients suffering from long-term medication.

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Researchers at Vir and Rockefeller University have modified the Fc ends of antibodies to not only provide "passive immunity," but also give them the ability to promote dendritic cells to mature and activate CD8-positive T cells. This gives these antibodies the potential to enhance the active immune response similar to vaccines, potentially further prolonging protection against pathogens.