Evaluation of polyclonal antibodies for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidiosis is the infection by the parasite Cryptosporidium that can cause life-threatening diarrhea in children <1 year old and in adults with altered immune system. No treatment is approved for those populations and there is an urgent need to find new therapeutic approaches. Recently, proteins of these parasites have been identified and antibodies against these proteins were produced. The goal of this project is to evaluate the potential of these antibodies to inhibit cryptosporidiosis in mouse models. The objective is to treat with these antibodies mice with a normal or an altered immune system. A reduction in parasite burden in treated groups compared to control group would prove the efficacy of these antibodies to control infection. Antibodies proven efficient in mouse models would constitute excellent candidates for further investigation in humans.

Faculty Supervisor:

Momar Ndao

Student:

Karine Sonzogni-Desautels

Partner:

Immunimed Inc

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

McGill University