‘Antibody-based therapies may help fight influenza B’

Antibody-based therapies may be effective in combating influenza B, according to a study. Dr Hillary Vanderven from James Cook University said antibody-based therapies for respiratory viruses are of increasing importance as they can be a safe and effective tool to treat severe respiratory infections, especially in high-risk groups. “Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that can target specific molecules on pathogens,” said Dr. Vanderven, a lecturer in immunology and infectious diseases. She said antibody-based therapeutics are safe, but clinical trials have generally shown minimal or no impact on influenza A, and there are currently no approved antibody-based therapies to treat hum