title: A human antibody against anthrax protective antigen protects rabbits from lethal infection with aerosolized spores.
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.
authors.affiliation: Alexion Antibody Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
authors.forename: Martha A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumor
authors.forename: Mary Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Hank
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lockman
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bowdish
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D011817:Rabbits; D013171:Spores, Bacterial
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C030325:anthrax toxin