Shark-inspired drug may help treat lung ailment

A drug that mimics part of a shark's immune system may help treat an 

incurable lung disease, Australian scientists claim. Pulmonary fibrosis scars 

lung tissue, causing breathing to become progressively difficult. Scientists 

from La Trobe University in Australia are preparing to run a world-first clinical 

trial of the new drug inspired by shark antibodies. The drug, AD-114, is a human 

protein that is based on the shape of an antibody of a Wobbegong shark. Tests on

mouse models found AD-114 led to a reduction in fibrosis in the lung and liver. 

Scientists at La Trobe and biotechnology company AdAlta created a humanised version 

of the shark protein called the i-body, and identified a lead therapeutic i-body candidate

for the treatment of fibrosis.“We believe that AD-114 has the potential to be a new treatment 

for pulmonary fibrosis, a respiratory disease which results in scarring of the lung tissues,“ 

AdAlta CEO Sam Cobb said.

Source: The Times of India