Abpro Bio "Abpro Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial in the US for COVID-19 Monoclonal Neutralizing Antibody Therapy"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] ABPROBIO announced on the 23rd that its U.S. subsidiary, Abpro Corporation, has completed Phase 1 dosing of its novel coronavirus (COVID-19) neutralizing antibody therapeutic, 'ABP 300.'

ABP 300 is a 'monoclonal neutralizing antibody' substance developed through the latest antibody discovery platform targeting COVID-19. Recently, as the UK government has initiated the development of COVID-19 therapeutics using 'monoclonal antibodies' isolated to bind only to specific viral antigens among various antibodies, global interest in developing COVID-19 treatments using monoclonal antibodies has surged.

The clinical trial involves 42 uninfected participants, and the safety of ABP 300 will be evaluated through dosing. The final results of Phase 1 are scheduled to be announced in the first quarter of next year.

ABP 300 is based on antibodies discovered from recovered COVID-19 patients. It acts on the receptor-binding domain inside the virus's 'spike protein,' blocking the binding between the virus and the patient's 'ACE2' receptor, thereby preventing viral entry and infection of cells. Abpro has already verified through preclinical animal studies that ABP 300 not only completely neutralizes COVID-19 but also demonstrates superior efficacy and safety compared to existing drugs under development.

Ian Chen, CEO of Abpro, stated, "ABP 300 shows superior efficacy compared to other COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies under development, and it is also evaluated to have excellent safety because it significantly reduces 'antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE),' where the virus rapidly spreads to host cells using antibodies, worsening symptoms."

He added, "With the completion of Phase 1 dosing, we will proceed with clinical trials in earnest to accelerate the development of COVID-19 therapeutics. ABP 300 not only treats COVID-19 patients but also has preventive functions similar to vaccines, which is why many global pharmaceutical companies are paying close attention to the Phase 1 results."

Abpro is jointly developing ABP 300 with Mabwell, a biotechnology company based in Shanghai, China. Abpro holds global rights to ABP 300 for most countries except China. Both companies utilize their respective antibody platforms, including Abpro's 'DiversImmune' platform, to develop various therapeutics.