The first fast-acting anti-rabies drug of the world, which instantly deactivates the rabies virus and provides immediate protection in severe dog bite cases, is set for a launch in India this year. The drug, rabies human monoclonal antibody (RMAb), has been developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and US-based Mass Biologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It has been found safe and effective during various phases of human clinical trials spanning nine years in India and abroad.
The drug named as Rabishield automatically precludes chances of transmitting blood-borne infections that are present in rabies immunoglobulin, the current line of treatment for severe dog bite cases. The drug has been manufactured using recombinant DNA technology. The drug will have its global launch in India this year. Since the new drug will be 25% cheaper than the existing rabies immunoglobulins, it would meet the needs of the poor countries.
According to WHO, most of the estimated 55,000 deaths caused by rabies each year worldwide occur in the rural areas of Africa and Asia. In India alone, 20,000 deaths (about two per one-lakh population at risk) are estimated to occur every year. There can be many possible reasons for that. One such reason might be that since dogs are generally animals that people love to pet and play with, people aren’t always too cautious around them. Perhaps they do not know how to spot rabies in dogs, or simply overlook certain telling symptoms; either way, it can end up causing them a lot more pain than they imagined, leading them to be sorry later. If the dog bites another person, there is a high chance that you might get embroiled in a legal tussle. If such a situation occurs, you might have to get face legal charges if the victim does decide to contact a professional attorney similar to St Louis MO dog bite lawyers.
A ready antibody is required for immediate protection because the present vaccine generally takes 14 days to produce antibodies. The virus can reach the brain within 14 days if a dog bite is severe or closer to the head. The new drug is a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to a conformational epitope of G glycoprotein of rabies virus and instantly deactivates it.
