Blood donation from volunteers for anthrax immunoglobulin development
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Donation of blood from anthrax-vaccinated volunteers to develop recombinant monoclonal antibody therapy against anthrax
IRAS ID
94651
Contact name
Lorna McInroy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health England
Research summary
Anthrax disease, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, can cause septicaemia and meningitis leading to death. Bacillus anthracis can be used as a bioterrorist weapon and has been used as such in the US in 2001, causing 22 cases of anthrax and 5 deaths. Anthrax has more recently caused a number of serious infections and deaths in the UK from exposure to infected animal skins used to make African drums or from heroin transported in infected animal skins. Although a vaccine is available, treatment of disease, once acquired, is from use of antibiotics, but the death rate, even after antibiotic treatment is started, remains high. Recent studies have shown that anthrax immunoglobulin (AIG) therapy can help as a treatment of anthrax alongside antibiotics but AIG is currently in limited supply. Production of an antibody-based therapy using modern genetic engineering techniques will provide a limitless and consistent supply of antibody and this project aims to explore this option.Blood will be donated from individuals who have been vaccinated with anthrax vaccine for occupational reasons and the blood will be used to isolate the DNA that codes for antibodies. This DNA will be used to clone the antibodies that are specific for anthrax and the antibodies produced from this will be evaluated as a treatment for anthrax disease in an animal model.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/0012
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion