Experimental Drug Protects Monkeys From Anthrax Poison

Boston (DbTechNo) – An experimental drug has shown the ability to ward off anthrax poisoning in lab monkeys.

The drug is manufactured by Human Genome Sciences Inc and goes by the name raxibacumab.

When given to mice exposed to the poison, the drug improved their chances of surviving anthrax by up to 64 percent.

In total 9 out of 14 monkeys exposed to anthrax were alive 28 days after their exposure when given the drug.

Those monkeys who were less lucky and received a placebo all died when exposed to the poison.

It is hard to know the next step for this drug, as it is not likely that a human trial will be conducted because it would require infecting humans with anthrax.

Read more on this interesting finding in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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