Human trials will soon begin for a world-first Hendra virus treatment.

An antibody manufactured at The University of Queensland will be used in the clinical trials starting this month, which could lead to a new treatment for the rare but deadly viral disease.

“Queensland Health contracted us to manufacture the antibody for emergency stockpiles and for the human trials,” said Professor Peter Gray, director of UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN).

He said the antibody was engineered to mimic antibodies the human body produced naturally as an immune system response to germs, viruses and other invaders.

“It is important to understand that the antibody treatment is not a vaccine, and it needs to be administered within a short time after exposure to the Hendra virus,” he said.

The treatment is considered an experimental therapy and will only be used in emergency situations until the human trials have been completed.

There have been 52 recorded incidents of Hendra virus in horses in Australia since 1994, with 14 in New South Wales and 38 in Queensland. Ninety horses have died from the virus.

There have been seven human cases of Hendra (including four fatalities) recorded in Australia, all in Queensland.

Excitingly, the AIBN has also developed a method of producing larger amounts of the antibody without needing to reproduce any part of the Hendra virus.

The institute has been producing the antibody for collaborators at the CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong for testing in animal trials.