ICMR breakthrough in Indian medicine targeting Nipah virus

Indian government scientists say they have achieved a breakthrough in attempts to develop an indigenous therapy for treating Nipah virus patients.

- Priyanka Sharma

Scientists familiar with the matter said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has held successful animal trials with the country's first indigenously developed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat Nipah virus patients.

The virus, which is commonly transmitted from fruit bats, has a high mortality rate. Currently, India imports monoclonal antibodies from Queensland, Australia. These are administered intravenously. There is no vaccine against the Nipah virus, which has a mortality rate of 40-70%.

There have been repeated Nipah virus outbreaks in the country, particularly in Kerala, since 2018.