A proof-of-concept study led by a scientist at the University of Florida suggests a monoclonal antibody that targets a master regulator of inflammation, called NAMPT, could offer much-needed treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 

In the study, a monoclonal antibody treatment called ALT-100 was used in an early phase clinical trial that enrolled 15 patients at academic medical centres in six cities across the US. 

Over the next 28 days, the ALT-100 group experienced significantly greater ventilator-free days – 21 on average versus 14. They also showed reduced inflammatory markers and lower organ failure scores, according to the report published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 

The study showed that the ALT-100 treatment’s safety profile appeared to be comparable to that of people given a placebo.  

Dr Joe Garcia, Associate Vice President for Research at UF Health and Director of The Center for Inflammation Science and Systems Medicine at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, said: “There are no FDA-approved therapies to give these patients, and given the unacceptable mortality and pervasiveness of the disease, ARDS treatment remains one of the greatest unmet needs in medicine.” 

Since its development of the ALT-100 monoclonal antibody, Garcia’s lab has studied the antibody’s ability to prevent and treat illness in models of some 20 conditions. 

“Even though we were only able to enrol 15 patients, the data we are getting is simply incredible,” Garcia said. “Particularly the ARDS data showing that the monoclonal antibody improved both ventilator-free days and organ failure scores, because organ failure is the main cause of ARDS-related mortality.” 

Beyond receiving US Food and Drug Administration approval to conduct ARDS trials, Garcia has the green light to study ALT-100 in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis, a common complication in ARDS survivors.