PfCSP-HmAb

is a human monoclonal antibody candidate derived from patients immunized with PfSPZ or PfSPZ-CVac

Under development by Sanaria Inc., with support of the i-PfSPZ-consortium

PfCSP-HmAb

The use of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) will provide an alternative to vaccines for providing protection against malaria in some situations. With a vaccine, the individual’s immune system produces the antibody and cellular immune responses that eliminate the parasites. When a protective mAb is injected, it is immediately present in the individual and the individual’s immune system does not have to produce it. Human mAbs thus provide immediate short-term protection.

Administration of mAbs against the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) before challenge, protects animals against challenge with live PfSPZ. This knowledge and the 90-100% VE achieved with PfSPZ-based vaccines in humans, spurred efforts to produce human mAbs from subjects protected by immunization with PfSPZ vaccines. Recently, Sanaria reported on potent human mAbs against PfCSP derived from B cells of American, Tanzanian and German volunteers immunized with PfSPZ Vaccine or PfSPZ-CVac.

Certain demographics would benefit from the immediate protection afforded by injection of a protective mAb - for example, the elderly, infants, HIV-positive individuals, vaccine non-responders who, due to specific HLA haplotype, immune deficiency, extremes of age, or immune dysregulation, mount a sub-optimal immune response when immunized with PfSPZ-based vaccines.

Sanaria is down-selecting human mAb(s) from multiple candidates based on potency and manufacturability for further development towards a licensed product for clinical use.

Sanaria Inc. is a Biotech company, located in Maryland, USA, developing vaccines against the parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), one of the deadliest form of malaria parasites. The company has been working towards the goal of eliminating malaria in endemic regions since its foundation in 2003. Sanaria is the only vaccine company in the world dedicated solely to the development of malaria vaccines. It is part of several research collaborations in Europe, Asia and the USA.