New Delhi, Oct 20 – A new laboratory‑made protein, known as the monoclonal antibody MAM01, has shown early promise in stopping malaria before it takes hold. The antibody was created by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and tested in a first‑in‑human, Phase 1 trial.
MAM01 works by targeting a key part of the malaria parasite’s outer shell—its circumsporozoite protein. By blocking that surface area, the antibody stops the parasite from entering the bloodstream right from the first bite. In the study, participants who received the highest dose of MAM01 were completely protected when later exposed to malaria‑carrying mosquitoes, while every person who got a placebo did develop infection.
Only 38 healthy adults, all between 18 and 50 and never exposed to malaria before, were tested. They got a single shot of MAM01 or a placebo, stayed under close medical care, and were challenged with malaria months later. The results were clear: no serious side effects appeared, and the high dose gave full protection.
“The idea of a single, long‑lasting shot that can shield people for months is a game‑changer,” said lead author Kirsten Lyke, a professor of medicine at the University. “We’re looking at a new way to protect young children and pregnant women, the groups most hit by malaria.”
Malaria remains the leading killer of children in sub‑Saharan Africa, taking more than 600,000 lives worldwide each year. Current treatments and vaccines sometimes fall short, especially in low‑ and middle‑income settings. A fast‑acting monoclonal antibody could fill that gap, offering immediate defense where vaccines might take weeks or need boosters.
Matthew Laurens, a paediatrics professor involved in the study, added that these early results “show we can reliably guard against malaria in people who otherwise have no protection.” He stressed that proving this approach works is a step forward for global health equity.
If later trials confirm the benefits seen here, MAM01 could become part of a new toolbox in the fight against malaria—providing quick, potent protection for the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Source: ianslive
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