A 2025 post-marketing trial funded by the Serum Institute of India, published in The Lancet, highlights RmAb’s potential to replace traditional rabies immunoglobulins (RIGs) in post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for severe animal bites. Current PEP involves wound care, rabies vaccines, and RIGs. Equine RIG (ERIG) is affordable but risks allergic reactions, while human RIG (HRIG) is safer but costly and scarce. RmAb, a lab-engineered antibody targeting the rabies virus glycoprotein, eliminates these issues. Produced via recombinant DNA in bioreactors, it avoids blood-derived risks and is scalable for India’s 17 million annual animal bites.
The trial, involving 4,000+ participants, compared RmAb with ERIG, finding no rabies cases in either group. RmAb showed fewer adverse events and higher antibody levels by day 14, making it safer, especially for children and allergy-prone individuals. Its lower dose requirement enhances cost-effectiveness. Despite use in private clinics since 2017 and by Mumbai’s BMC since 2019, RmAb awaits inclusion in national guidelines, pending further trials. This breakthrough could transform PEP, making safe, effective rabies treatment accessible to millions.
