Ricin Toxin Protective Monoclonal Antibodies with Improved Serum Half-Life

Ricin is a category B toxin due to its ease of acquisition, dissemination, and the high potential for morbidity and mortality after exposure. There are currently no methods of preventing or treating ricin exposurethis represents a major unmet need for protection of civilians and warfighters. Because of their excellent safety profile and efficacy, mAbs are a rapidly growing class of therapeutic drugs with a regulatory track record superior to small molecules.The Mapp team, in collaboration with Dr. Nicholas Mantis (Wadsworth Institute, Albany, NY) has identified a highly potent humanized anti-ricin mAb, hPB10. The potency of this mAb is superior to any mAb previously described. In this work effort we propose to increase the serum-half life of hPB10 and establish proof-of-concept in rodent models with a long range objective of developing a safe, effective and long-acting mAb (> 6 months of protection from a single dose) product for ricin intoxication.The envisioned injectable product will be for use in humans both prior to (e.g. by first responders or military personnel entering a contaminated zone) and/or after ricin exposure.