An antibody cocktail that can beat Delta to be tested on Aussies

A powerful antibody cocktail that can beat Delta developed by Aussie scientists will soon be trialled in humans.

Australian researchers have been given a $5 million grant to carry out human trials of a breakthrough Covid antibody treatment thought to stop the disease progressing.

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research scientist Associate Professor Wai-Hong Tham’s team has found two potent antibodies proven to fight Delta and other Covid variants in a petri dish.

With the new funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) the team will mix the antibodies into a cocktail and manufacture enough in Australia to be used in a human clinical trial to test whether they are safe to use.

These trials are expected to begin within 12 months.

“Monoclonal antibodies are just lab made versions of antibodies that sort of mimic what our bodies already make to fight infection,” Associate Professor Tham said.

“We know that when you combine two different antibodies against the virus, you can limit viral escape against treatment,” she said.

When used early in the infection they can stop the virus progressing and prevent people going to hospital.

Associate Professor Wai-Hong Tham.

It took the team just nine months to identify the antibodies after receiving a previous MRFF grant.

Australia has already approved for use existing monoclonal antibody treatments produced overseas called Sotrovimab and Remdesivir.

“So ours are more potent than Sotrovimab from GSK. The other thing that’s different about ours is that we use two antibodies, rather than one,” Associate Professor Tham said.

The antibodies also work against the key Covid variants.

“We’ve tested them against the Delta variant, we don’t obviously have Mu yet, but we’ve tested, Alpha, Beat and Delta,” she said.

The treatment will be manufactured entirely in Victorian and Queensland-based production facilities including at the University of Queensland, and at the CSIRO in Clayton Victoria.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt (left) tours the National Drug Discovery Centre at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. Picture AAP

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said research was a key weapon in the ongoing fight against Covid-19 and central to the Government’s Covid-19 National Health Plan.

“Our plan provides support across primary care, aged care, hospitals and research, and includes funding from the MRFF for a Coronavirus Research Response,” Minister Hunt said.

“We are backing our best and brightest researchers to drive innovation and contribute to global efforts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

“The considerable expertise of Australia’s world-class health and medical researchers is critical for ensuring preparedness and the safety of all Australians and the global community.”

To date, the Government has invested $96 million from the MRFF in Covid-19 research.

Sotrovimab is being used in Australia to treat of people with mild to moderate Covid-19 who are also at a high risk of being hospitalised.

It is expected that approximately 10 per cent of people with Covid-19 may have some benefit from Sotrovimab.

Remdesivir has been available in Australia since mid-2020 and is used to treat people who have more severe Covid-19.

Originally published as An antibody cocktail that can beat Delta to be tested on Aussies