Safety and pharmacokinetics of a human monoclonal antibody to rabies virus: a randomized, dose-escalation phase 1 study in adults.

BACKGROUND

Rabies is an essentially fatal disease that is preventable with the timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The high cost of PEP, which includes vaccine and hyperimmune globulin, is an impediment to the goal of preventing rabies in the developing world. Recently a recombinant human IgG(1) anti-rabies monoclonal antibody (SII RMab) has been developed in India to replace serum-derived rabies immunoglobulin. The present study was conducted to demonstrate the safety of SII RMab and to determine the dose resulting in neutralizing serum antibody titers comparable to human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) when administered in conjunction with rabies vaccine in a simulated PEP regimen.

METHODS

This randomized, open label, dose-escalation phase 1 study was conducted in healthy adults at a large tertiary care, referral, public hospital in India. Safety was assessed by active surveillance for adverse events along with standard laboratory evaluations and measurement of anti-drug antibodies (ADA). Anti-rabies antibody levels were measured by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) and ELISA. The study duration was 365 days.

FINDINGS: SII RMab was well tolerated with similar frequency of local injection site reactions to HRIG. The geometric mean concentrations of rabies neutralizing antibody in the vaccine plus SII RMab 10 IU/kg cohort were comparable to the vaccine plus HRIG 20 IU/kg cohort throughout the 365-day study period; day 14 geometric mean concentrations 23.4 IU/ml (95% CI 14.3, 38.2) vs. 15.3 IU/ml (95% CI 7.72, 30.3; p=NS), respectively. Future post-exposure prophylaxis studies of SII RMab at a dose of 10 IU/kg in conjunction with vaccine are planned.