The new antibody in a test tube
Patent-pending antibody allows easier tracking of treatment effectiveness
Scientists from NTU Singapore, the world’s No. 1 young university, have developed an antibody which boosts the survival chances for patients suffering from influenza and pneumonia.
Proven effective in lab tests, the antibody is now being made suitable for use in humans. The scientists are also using the new antibody to develop a diagnostic kit which can help doctors accurately track the recovery progress of flu and pneumonia patients.
The patent-pending antibody has generated much interest globally. Two biotech multi-national corporations, Abcam based in the United Kingdom and Adipogen International based in the United States, have won the rights to license the antibody. The two multinational companies will produce the antibody for sale to global organisations doing research in vaccine and drug development.
The breakthrough finding was published in the latest issue of the prestigious international peer-reviewed journal Cell Reports.
Influenza epidemics, such as the deadly 1918 Spanish Flu which killed over 50 million people or the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002, are of big concern to governments and the general populace worldwide.
The World Health Organisation estimated that influenza results in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness worldwide each year, with about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths annually.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children worldwide accounting for 15 per cent of all deaths for children under 5 years old, and is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.
This new antibody was developed by NTU Singapore’s Associate Professor Andrew Tan, who led an interdisciplinary team of scientists from Singapore.
“While it will take up to eight years to develop the antibody into a useable treatment for human patients, we are currently developing a diagnostic kit which should be commercialised in about three years,” said Assoc Prof Tan.
“The kit will help doctors diagnose the severity of pneumonia and the efficacy of the prescribed treatment. This is done by detecting the concentration of a particular protein called ANGPTL4, which is present in samples taken from patients suffering from upper respiratory tract infections.”
Read more: NTU Singapore develops new weapon in war against flu pandemics and pneumonia
The Latest on: Pandemics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Pandemics” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Pandemics
- 8 worst pandemics that shook the Worldon November 29, 2023 at 10:43 pm
Pandemics are large-scale infectious disease outbreaks that have the potential to spread quickly throughout the world and result in a great deal of misery and death. These are eight of the world's ...
- Pneumonia outbreak in China, disease X: Odisha to strengthen public health labs for future pandemicson November 29, 2023 at 9:07 pm
BHUBANESWAR: Amid concern over a new wave of pneumonia in China and disease X, Odisha government is set to strengthen seven of its public health laboratories in different regions to pilot a project on ...
- ECOWAS Develops Risk Communication Strategy For Pandemicson November 27, 2023 at 11:33 pm
RCCE Network, he said had become one of the key pillars of the region in addressing emerging outbreaks and pandemics. To develop human resources, he said there had been training programmes for member ...
- Influenza Pandemics of 1918 and 2009on November 25, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Experiences from the 1918 and 20th century influenza pandemics helped immensely in the preparation of a better response for A(H1N1)pdm09. The explosive pattern of the 1918 pandemic makes it a ...
- The 10 Chilling Laws of Pandemicson November 23, 2023 at 9:59 pm
Pandemics spawn irrational movements for rational reasons. Quarantines, masks and the curtailment of mobility are blunt but effective instruments requiring a high degree of public consensus and ...
- Before coronavirus: The deadliest pandemics in historyon November 23, 2023 at 7:35 am
In this gallery, we look back on the worst pandemics in history. Click on. You may also like: Get a flat belly in 30 easy steps The first bigger pandemic on record occurred during the Peloponnesian ...
- Saving the world from pollution and pandemicson November 22, 2023 at 9:23 am
The Diwali season is now marked by choking air pollution and distress. We hear of quite a few preventive and control actions. But the problem persists. Pandemics are another threat. Covid-19 has been ...
- Response to pandemics needs overwhelming support – Prof. Christian Agyareon November 21, 2023 at 8:41 am
“Emergency preparedness and response to pandemic in our part of the world needs overwhelming supports in all aspects, including building of capacity of not only healthcare workers, but from the ...
- New Biden Admin Report Links Climate Change To Pandemicson November 19, 2023 at 6:03 am
The Biden administration published a report Tuesday on the state of climate change in the U.S. linking the phenomenon to increased pandemic risks.
- The Role of Editorial Cartoons in Addressing Pandemicson November 12, 2023 at 12:48 am
During pandemics, these cartoons have played a crucial role in conveying important information, educating the public, and sometimes even providing a source of solace through humor. Pandemics are often ...
via Bing News
