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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Opsono-Adherence Assay to Evaluate Functional Antibodies in Vaccine Development Against Bacillus anthracis and Other Encapsulated Pathogens
Published on: May 19, 2020
A human antibody against anthrax protective antigen protects rabbits from lethal infection with aerosolized spores
Martha A Wild1, Karen Kumor, Mary Jean Nolan
1Alexion Antibody Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
Abstract:
ALXN4100, a fully human antibody that binds to the protective antigen of anthrax toxin, was generated from a Fab isolated from a phage display library and was analyzed for its pharmacokinetic properties in rabbits and then used to protect rabbits from challenge with a lethal aerosol dose of Bacillus anthracis spores (approximately 322X LD(50)). All rabbits receiving 15 or 40 mg/kg of antibody 24 hours before challenge survived; survival of rabbits receiving 4 mg/kg either subcutaneously or intravenously was 80 or 90%, respectively. Susceptibility to anthrax disease appeared to be correlated with serum antibody concentration. This study indicates that ALXN4100 has the potential to be useful for prophylaxis of anthrax disease in humans.
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