Invivyd Announces New Pipeline Discovery Program Focused on Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Measles

Invivyd, Inc. recently announced it has initiated a discovery program for a measles monoclonal antibody (mAb). Multiple healthcare providers (HCPs) who are treating active measles and monitoring contacts and outbreaks have inquired directly to Invivyd about the possibility of accessing such a medicine, as there are no currently approved therapies for measles or for post-exposure prophylaxis. Measles monoclonal neutralizing antibody discovery efforts would join current Invivyd discovery programs for next-generation COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza mAbs designed to treat acute infection or provide a high-quality alternative to vaccination.

There are currently no anti-viral treatments for measles. Clinicians have limited options for treatment of individuals sick with measles including high-dose Vitamin A, which is useful to support recovery from measles infections among children who are Vitamin A deficient, and human donor-derived pooled plasma immune globulin (IG) administered via IV (IVIG) to treat active phase measles. Both therapies have limitations for treatment, in addition to not being approved, well-characterized clinical tools: Vitamin A can be hepatotoxic, and IVIG is a non-uniform, polyclonal collection of antibodies collected and pooled from many donors and is poorly suited for widespread use.

Standard measles vaccines confer excellent, long-lasting protection from disease and are the most important tools to prevent measles infection but have important limitations in post-exposure prophylaxis and are increasingly underutilized by sizeable populations in America due to restricted healthcare access or religious or personal views on the use of vaccines in general. Recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimates the potential health effects of declining vaccine uptake and highlights the enormous health consequences to Americans associated with the reestablishment of previously eradicated pathogens such as measles.

Acute measles infection involves clinical features of varying severity, including fevers, pneumonia, encephalitis, and high-risk of secondary bacterial infections, with one in four infections leading to hospitalization and one in every 1,000 causing death. The virus deletes immunological memory, creating an immunological amnesia that enhances risk of disease against all infections for years. One in a few thousand cases will cause a 100% fatal deterioration of brain tissue called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis approximately 7-10 years after infection.

“Despite effective vaccines, measles outbreaks are increasing globally, including in the U.S. where our elimination status is at risk. With over 20 million unvaccinated Americans in the U.S., and hundreds of millions globally, the burden of measles is high and poised to get worse. There is a huge need for effective treatments,” commented Dr. Michael Mina, MD, PhD, an infectious disease and vaccination expert, previously Professor of Epidemiology and Immunology at Harvard University School of Public Health. “A monoclonal antibody is a particularly attractive therapeutic option for many reasons: antibodies against measles can be highly neutralizing and thus able to rapidly stop infection; they can avoid toxicities and drug-drug interactions that accompany small molecule approaches; and, finally, monoclonal antibodies can serve as a critical prophylaxis tool for at-risk populations. In addition to treating acute infection, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis may be especially important for children too young to be vaccinated, the immune compromised who cannot be vaccinated, and the elderly, whose immune protection may have waned, and as prophylaxis for people who are otherwise unvaccinated during measles outbreaks.”

“A measles monoclonal antibody may be an increasingly important therapeutic option in the coming years. Invivyd’s core strategy is to use best-in-class pharmaceutical monoclonal antibodies to lower the burden of viral infectious diseases,” commented Marc Elia, Chairman of the Invivyd Board of Directors. “Measles (rubeola) is an important potential therapeutic target and an excellent fit with our integrated capabilities in antibody discovery, development, and commercialization. Our goal is to discover and develop a safe, convenient, highly effective mAb against measles with a best-in-class profile that can be easily adopted in contemporary clinical practice. We will look forward to updating on our progress later this year.”

Invivyd, Inc. (Nasdaq: IVVD) is a biopharmaceutical company devoted to delivering protection from serious viral infectious diseases, beginning with SARS-CoV-2. Invivyd deploys a proprietary integrated technology platform unique in the industry designed to assess, monitor, develop, and adapt to create best in class antibodies. In March 2024, Invivyd received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. FDA for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) in its pipeline of innovative antibody candidates. Visit https://invivyd.com/ to learn more.