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news.Medical & Biological Laboratories (MBL), in collaboration with Osaka University, has generated several fully human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A (H1N1 and H3N2) type influenza virus, by utilising blood samples from volunteers who were inoculated with influenza vaccine.
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The therapeutic antibodies were generated by using a special cell line, Spymeg. Spymeg is the cell line established by the cell fusion of MEG-01 with a murine myeloma cell line. Hybridoma cells of human origin are known to be prone to chromosome deletions.
The company claims that Spymeg cell line overcomes that problem, resulting in a higher reliability of cell fusion. Utilisation of Spymeg is a simpler and easier way to generate therapeutic monoclonal antibodies than chimerization, or humanisation of mouse monoclonal antibodies generated from immunised mice.
Currently, MBL is conducting collaborative research to generate neutralising monoclonal antibodies against swine-origin influenza A (H1N1). The company is preparing to collaborate with more institutions regarding other infectious viruses.
Additionally, the simple principle and wide range of applications of this method may lead to the generation of therapeutic and prophylactic drugs to various infections such as avian influenza A (H5N1).
Kazuyoshi Ikuta, professor at the department of virology of research institute for microbial diseases at Osaka University, has confirmed through in-vitro experiments that the fully generated human antibodies can neutralise H3N2 influenza virus strains.