Celltrion, Inc.: Successful Development of Broad Spectrum Human Monoclonal Antibodies Against Major Influenza Viruses (H1N1 and H5N1)

INCHEON, South Korea, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Celltrion, Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company, has developed novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection, which neutralize a broad spectrum of influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1 and the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. Preliminary tests in laboratory animals indicate that the novel human monoclonal antibodies can be used to prevent disease when given either before or after infection.

One of the antibodies, CT120, blocked infection by all the viruses mentioned above in microneutralization test and showed prophylactic and therapeutic effect on H5N1 and prophylactic effect on pandemic and seasonal H1 viruses in mice. Celltrion plans to develop human monoclonal antibodies as a universal biopharmaceutical to treat influenza infections and its complications in humans. This monoclonal antibody is also a potential candidate for treating H5 avian influenza virus infection or other potentially pandemic or zoonotic influenza viruses.

This type of innovative new biological product with broad efficacy against multiple potentially pandemic influenza viruses from animals could transform pandemic preparedness and influenza control strategies. Globally, approximately one billion people are infected by influenza viruses annually, with eight million people being hospitalized every year. In addition, the new antibody screening platform technology used to develop these therapeutic antibodies, can be applied to new therapeutics for other infectious disease.

About Celltrion

CONTACT: SeungSuh "Stanley" Hong, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Head of
Research & Development, Advisor to Business Development of Celltrion, Inc.,
+1-650-593-3203, sshong@celltrion.com

Web site: http://www.celltrion.com/

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