Maryland-based AbVacc, Inc. has received a USD 1 million NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) SBIR award to advance a dual monoclonal antibody cocktail targeting Marburg virus disease, according to NIH Reporter records. The Phase II continuation grant reflects sustained federal interest in closing a therapeutic gap that persists despite multiple Marburg outbreaks in recent years.
The cocktail pairs two antibodies with distinct mechanisms: MR186-YTEAF, engineered for enhanced effector function through afucosylation and extended half-life via YTE Fc mutation, and R217-YTE, described as the most potent neutralizing anti-Marburg monoclonal antibody identified to date. The two candidates target non-overlapping epitopes — the receptor binding site and the internal fusion loop of Marburg glycoprotein, respectively — a design intended to reduce the risk of viral escape variants. Under this funding year, work advances into nonhuman primate efficacy studies, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characterization, and establishment of stable CHO manufacturing cell lines, positioning the program for potential IND-enabling work under FDA Animal Rule approval pathways.
Marburg virus carries case fatality rates approaching 90% and has caused five outbreaks in the past decade, yet no approved therapeutic exists. The Ebola precedent — where two monoclonal antibody cocktails, Inmazeb (atoltivimab, maftivimab, and odesivimab) and Ebanga (ansuvimab), reached approval — provides the regulatory and scientific template AbVacc is following. Principal investigators M. Javad Aman and Thomas Geisbert bring complementary antibody engineering and filovirus challenge model expertise to the program. The grant runs through May 2028, with further development anticipated under DoD or BARDA funding if animal studies succeed.
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