Only about one-in-ten adults do not carry Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in their systems. For most, it remains silent, their entire lives — but for the unlucky few… it can lead to a host of cancers, Multiple Sclerosis and other life long debilitating diseases, most commonly appearing in later life.

So — we’re in the power alley, this morning — and, we are happy to report on new research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington. The teams have developed antibodies that target two proteins on the surface of EBV particles. In a mouse model, this was an extremely effective path to eradicating the viral loads. Here’s that — from ScienceAlert:

…When [monoclonal mice] were exposed to the two EBV proteins, gp350 and gp42, mouse cells triggered the precise immune response the researchers were looking for, thereby enabling precisely targeted antibodies.

Ultimately, the researchers isolated 10 new antibodies in the lab – two targeting gp350 and eight targeting gp42 – and, when tested in living mice, one of these antibodies showed particularly promising protection against EBV.

“Not only did we identify important antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus, but we also validated an innovative new approach for discovering protective antibodies against other pathogens,” says pathobiologist Crystal Chhan….

Without doubt, we are still a very long way from a working, FDA approved therapy for humans — but this is a nice step forward — for real bio-science. Onward, smiling — that was a thrilling run for the roses, last evening… even though no tickets were cashed!

नमस्ते