PROTECTION OF NUDE MICE BY PASSIVE IMMUNIZATION WITH A TYPE-COMMON HUMAN RECOMBINANT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY AGAINST HSV

Abstract Herpes simplex viral disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in man. Although the development of very effective nucleoside analogs with a high therapeutic index has greatly improved the clinical management of herpetic infections, the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains has become a cause of serious concern both because of its clinical implications and in terms of viral ecology. The present report is the first demonstration of the in vivo protective activity of a type-common human recombinant monoclonal antibody derived from a combinatorial antibody library. Athymic nude mice were infected with HSV type 1 either intracutaneously in the flank or by corneal scarification. Beside reducing mortality rates when administered before infection, the antibody dramatically and significantly prolonged survival times ( P in vivo. Such antibodies could complement antiviral chemotherapy and represent valuable tools for the prophylaxis of infections by the herpes simplex viruses.