Biotech Firms Target Measles Treatments Amid Rising U.S. Cases
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As vaccination rates drop and infections hit a 35-year high, companies are developing monoclonal antibodies for high-risk patients.
A surge in U.S. measles cases has prompted biotech companies and academic researchers to develop treatments for the virus, according to reporting from Ars Technica. By July 2026, the U.S. had already exceeded the 2,289 cases recorded last year, following significant outbreaks in Utah and South Carolina. For comparison, only 285 cases were reported in 2024.
Because current medical options are limited to supportive care and Vitamin A supplements, firms are focusing on monoclonal antibodies that mimic natural immune responses. Michael Mina, chief medical officer of Connecticut-based Invivyd, stated that the company is gathering data for FDA clinical trial approval. While Invivyd has not yet tested its measles antibody in humans, the company previously developed a similar therapy for COVID-19.
Other efforts include a partnership between Vanderbilt University and Saravir Biopharma. James Crowe, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, is utilizing a combination of two monoclonal antibodies to prevent the virus from mutating to evade treatment. Additionally, Erica Ollmann Saphire, CEO of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, published a May study showing that specific human antibodies reduced viral loads in rodents by 500-fold.
Despite the medical potential, Ars Technica notes that these treatments face significant hurdles. Manufacturing monoclonal antibodies is costly and complex, and pharmaceutical companies may be reluctant to fund trials due to the sporadic nature of outbreaks. There are also concerns regarding patient costs; for example, the U.S. government spent $855 million on 1.7 million doses of the COVID-19 treatment Evusheld in early 2022.