Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Against Human Cytomegalovirus A set of human-derived broadly neutralizing antibodies against HCMV derived from prefusion-stabilized fusion protein. <p>Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital birth defects and poses major risks to immunocompromised patients (organ transplant recipients, or those with HIV/AIDS, or those who go through certain therapies for cancer). There are no approved vaccines or prophylactic. Anti-HCMV antivirals such as ganciclovir are toxic and can lead to resistance upon prolonged use. Researchers at Fred Hutch and Tufts University School of Medicine have engineered a soluble, prefusion-stabilized HCMV gB fusogen and developed a set of broadly neutralizing antibodies against several strains. Unlike other mAbs that are directed against HCMV glycoprotein pentamer, these antibodies target gB, which is the most conserved HCMV glycoprotein and is essential for infection in all cell types. MCLB1, which preferentially binds to the prefusion conformation, is hypothesized to inhibit subsequent fusogenic conformation changes and is one of the most portent neutralizers. </p> <ul> <li>Prophylactics to prevent congenital CMV infections in neonates</li> <li>Therapeutics to prevent CMV morbidities in the immunocompromised individuals</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Binds to prefusion conformation of the fusion protein, thereby providing a broader and robust prevention against HCMV compared to antibodies that bind to postfusion conformations.</li> <li>Cross reacts with and cross-neutralizes diverse viral isolates</li> <li>Targets protein that is essential for infectivity of all cell types</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Andrew McGuire, PhD – Associate Professor, Immunology and Vaccine Development Program, VIDD, FH</li> </ul> Preclinical in vivo characterization completed mcguirecmvmabs.pdf cmv | cytomegaloviros | glycoprotein | antibody | Fab |neutralization | protein engineering | fusogen |therapeutics | antivirals | vaccine prefusioncmvantibodies