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UMass Chan licenses antibody for Lyme disease prevention

  • Posted by Health News September 22, 2025 - Filed in Health - #UMass Chan Medical School  #Lyme disease  #Dr. Mark Klempner  - 2,437 views

    WORCESTER — UMass Chan Medical School has licensed worldwide rights to a long-lasting monoclonal antibody designed to prevent Lyme disease to Tonix Pharmaceuticals, expanding efforts to fight a growing public health threat.

    The antibody, designated TNX-4800, was developed by Dr. Mark Klempner, professor of medicine at UMass Chan, and his research team. Unlike vaccines in development, TNX-4800 is a single injection that provides immediate immunity for an entire tick season. “We are delighted to be collaborating with Tonix,” Klempner said. “Unlike vaccine programs in development, TNX-4800 is a single dose and provides immediate immunity to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.”

    In an interview with The016.com, Klempner emphasized that safety was the top priority, particularly because the treatment could one day be given to children. He noted that monoclonal antibodies have been administered safely for decades, even to premature infants to prevent RSV. “We think those two characteristics — the safety profile and the onset and duration of immunity — really will favor the monoclonal antibody as a prevention for Lyme disease,” he said. Klempner added that the shot could begin protecting recipients within 48 hours.

    Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spread through the bite of infected deer ticks, is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. Untreated, it can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system. “Lyme disease remains the most common vector-borne infection in the United States and its incidence is climbing each year,” said Dr. Seth Lederman, CEO of Tonix Pharmaceuticals. “We believe TNX-4800 can transform prevention for millions of people.”

    Klempner said high-risk groups could include landscapers, golfers and children who spend time outdoors. Importantly, he explained, people who have already had Lyme can contract it again, making prevention crucial. “This antibody would prevent people who have gotten it previously from getting it a second or a third or a fourth time,” he said.

    UMass Chan Dean Terence Flotte called the partnership an example of the school’s commitment to advancing science-driven solutions for urgent health challenges. The program, supported by UMass Chan’s BRIDGE Innovation and Business Development, has been more than a decade in the making. Field trials are expected to begin in 2027, with possible FDA review in 2028, Klempner said.

    “From Worcester to the world,” Klempner said of the project’s impact. “This has been a labor of many, many people … a spectacular team of faculty and staff that worked on this for over 10 years.”

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