
MBP134
A monoclonal antibody cocktail developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical that targets multiple Ebola species including Bundibugyo, showing 100% animal protection up to eight days post-infection; under WHO-sponsored trial pending DRC and Uganda approval.
Last refreshed: 24 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Could MBP134 be the first antibody treatment to work across multiple Ebola species?
Timeline for MBP134
Mentioned in: American surgeon caught Ebola in Bunia
Pandemics and BiosecurityDemonstrated 100% animal protection up to eight days post-infection and awaited regulatory clearance for human trial
Pandemics and Biosecurity: Ebola drug trial awaits DRC, Uganda nod- What is MBP134 and how is it different from ZMapp?
- MBP134 is a newer monoclonal antibody cocktail from Mapp Biopharmaceutical that neutralises multiple Ebola species including Bundibugyo, whereas ZMapp was effective only against Zaire ebolavirus.Source: WHO Disease Outbreak News / Mapp Biopharmaceutical
- Has MBP134 been tested in humans yet?
- Not yet. The WHO-sponsored trial in the current Bundibugyo outbreak is awaiting regulatory approval from the DRC and Uganda before dosing begins.Source: WHO
- How effective was MBP134 in animal studies?
- Animal studies showed 100% protection with MBP134, even when treatment was given up to eight days after infection, suggesting a wider therapeutic window than earlier treatments.Source: Mapp Biopharmaceutical / WHO
- Why does the Bundibugyo outbreak need a different treatment from the 2018 Congo outbreak?
- The 2018-2020 outbreak was caused by Zaire ebolavirus, for which REGN-EB3 and mAb114 are licensed. The current outbreak is Bundibugyo ebolavirus; existing licensed treatments do not cover it.Source: WHO
Background
MBP134 is under consideration for a WHO-sponsored therapeutic trial in the current Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The trial, which also includes remdesivir, has not yet begun dosing: it awaits regulatory approval from both governments. In animal studies, MBP134 gave 100% protection even when administered up to eight days after infection, a significantly wider treatment window than earlier antibody treatments.
MBP134 is a monoclonal antibody cocktail developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, a small San Diego-based biotech. It is designed to neutralise multiple species of ebolavirus, including Bundibugyo, Zaire, and Sudan strains, addressing a key limitation of ZMapp, the earlier Mapp treatment used in the 2014 West Africa outbreak that was specific to Zaire ebolavirus only. The broader species coverage makes MBP134 particularly relevant for outbreaks caused by non-Zaire strains such as the current Bundibugyo outbreak.
Broadly neutralising antibody cocktails represent the current frontier of Ebola therapeutics. The licensed treatment REGN-EB3 (Inmazeb) and mAb114 (Ebanga) were validated in the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak but target Zaire ebolavirus exclusively. MBP134's multi-species profile, if confirmed in human trials, could significantly simplify outbreak response by removing the need to match a treatment to the specific Ebola species in each new outbreak.