Broadly neutralizing antibody-mediated protection of macaques against repeated intravenous exposures to simian-human immunodeficiency virus

Objective: The opioid epidemic has increased parentally acquired HIV infection. To inform the development of a long-acting prevention strategy, we evaluated the protective efficacy of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against intravenous simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection in macaques. Design: Five cynomolgus macaques were injected once subcutaneously with 10-1074 and 3BNC117 (10 mg each kg(-1)) and were repeatedly challenged intravenously once weekly with SHIVAD8-EO (130 TCID50), until infection was confirmed via plasma viral load assay. Two control macaques, which received no antibody, were challenged identically. Methods: Plasma viremia was monitored via RT-qPCR assay. bNAb concentrations were determined longitudinally in plasma samples via TZM-bl neutralization assays using virions pseudotyped with 10-1074-sensitive (X2088_c9) or 3BNC117-sensitive (Q769.d22) HIV envelope proteins. Results: Passively immunized macaques were protected against a median of five weekly intravenous SHIV challenges, as compared to untreated controls, which were infected following a single challenge. Of the two bNAbs, 10-1074 exhibited relatively longer persistence in vivo. The median plasma level of 10-1074 at SHIV breakthrough was 1.1 mu g ml(-1) (range: 0.6-1.6 mu g ml(-1)), whereas 3BNC117 was undetectable. Probit modeling estimated that 6.6 mu g ml(-1) of 10-1074 in plasma corresponded to a 99% reduction in per-challenge infection probability, as compared to controls. Conclusions: Significant protection against repeated intravenous SHIV challenges was observed following administration of 10-1074 and 3BNC117 and was due primarily to 10-1074. Our findings extend preclinical studies of bNAb-mediated protection against mucosal SHIV acquisition and support the possibility that intermittent subcutaneous injections of 10-1074 could serve as long-acting preexposure prophylaxis for persons who inject drugs.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated significant protection against repeated intravenous SHIV challenges with broadly neutralizing antibodies, particularly 10-1074. In the experiment, 10-1074 showed relatively longer persistence in vivo, while the levels of 3BNC117 were undetectable.