On the left is a 3D rendering of enterovirus D68 (viral proteins red, yellow, blue) with human monoclonal antibody EV68-228 (orange/purple). To the right in the background is a colorized transmission electron micrograph of enterovirus D68 virus particles (green). Credit: 3D rendering by NIAID; micrograph, repositioned and recolored by NIAID, courtesy of CDC.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a clinical trial to assess the safety of a new monoclonal antibody aimed at treating enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). This virus can lead to severe respiratory and neurological conditions, including acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which is similar to polio. Researchers are diligently working to deepen their understanding of AFM, which has seen periodic surges in the U.
S., typically every two years during the late summer, over the past decade. The U.
S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified increases in AFM cases in 2014, 2016, and 2018. EV-D68 is a virus of growing public health concern due to its association with the intermittent AFM outbreaks.
There are no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for severe EV-D68 infection or AFM. Standard care is limited to supportive treatment and treatment for immune disorders, which has not been comprehensively evaluated. EV-D68 likely spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches a surface that is then touched by others.
Development of a Potential Treatment Between 2017 and 2.
