Plant-Derived Monoclonal Antibody Against Botulinum Neurotoxin: Pharmacokinetic Evaluation in a Mouse Model.
6 affiliations
- 1MSc. Program in Research for Enterprise, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- 2Baiya Phytopharm Co., Ltd., Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- 3Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- 4Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- 5Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- 6Center of Excellence in Preclinical Toxicity and Efficacy Assessment of Medicines and Chemicals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Abstract
Background: Botulism, caused by Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT/A and B), is a life-threatening disorder requiring rapid, effective therapeutic intervention. Plant-produced monoclonal antibodies offer a scalable alternative to conventional antibody manufacturing. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic properties of 1B18 monoclonal antibody (mAb), transiently expressed in and extracted from tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), which binds both BoNT/A and BoNT/B with high affinity. Methods: Male ICR mice (n = 12/group) received intravenous or intramuscular doses of plant-produced 1B18 mAb (25-100 µg), with serum samples collected across pre-dose and 13 post-administration timepoints (totaling 14 timepoints). Antibody quantification was performed using ELISA and LC-MS/MS to assess consistency and reliability. Results and Discussion: Following intravenous administration, the mAb exhibited prolonged elimination with half-lives ranging from 40.4 to 56.0 h (at 25 and 50 µg doses). ELISA-derived absolute bioavailability was approximately 99% and 85% at the 50 and 100 µg intramuscular doses, demonstrating efficient systemic absorption comparable to intravenous administration. ELISA was used as the primary quantitative method for pharmacokinetic evaluation, whereas LC-MS/MS provided exploratory, sequence-specific support for the observed concentration-time profiles. Because many LC-MS/MS-derived concentrations were below the mathematically estimated LOQ, cross-platform comparisons were interpreted cautiously and were not considered evidence of analytical equivalence or interchangeability. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that plant-derived 1B18 mAbs possess favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and high bioavailability, supporting their potential as long-acting therapeutic candidates for botulism treatment and advancing sustainable antibody production strategies.
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BibTeX
@article{simsom2026plantderived,
title = {{Plant-Derived Monoclonal Antibody Against Botulinum Neurotoxin: Pharmacokinetic Evaluation in a Mouse Model.}},
author = {Nipaporn Simsom and Pipob Suwanchaikasem and Kaewta Rattanapisit and Waranyoo Phoolcharoen and Vudhiporn Limprasutr},
journal = {Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ph19101597},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943294},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Plant-Derived Monoclonal Antibody Against Botulinum Neurotoxin: Pharmacokinetic Evaluation in a Mouse Model.
AU - Nipaporn Simsom
AU - Pipob Suwanchaikasem
AU - Kaewta Rattanapisit
AU - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
AU - Vudhiporn Limprasutr
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/ph19101597
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943294
AB - Background: Botulism, caused by Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT/A and B), is a life-threatening disorder requiring rapid, effective therapeutic intervention. Plant-produced monoclonal antibodies offer a scalable alternative to conventional antibody manufacturing. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic properties of 1B18 monoclonal antibody (mAb), transiently expressed in and extracted from tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), which binds both BoNT/A and BoNT/B with high affinity. Methods: Male ICR mice (n = 12/group) received intravenous or intramuscular doses of plant-produced 1B18 mAb (25-100 µg), with serum samples collected across pre-dose and 13 post-administration timepoints (totaling 14 timepoints). Antibody quantification was performed using ELISA and LC-MS/MS to assess consistency and reliability. Results and Discussion: Following intravenous administration, the mAb exhibited prolonged elimination with half-lives ranging from 40.4 to 56.0 h (at 25 and 50 µg doses). ELISA-derived absolute bioavailability was approximately 99% and 85% at the 50 and 100 µg intramuscular doses, demonstrating efficient systemic absorption comparable to intravenous administration. ELISA was used as the primary quantitative method for pharmacokinetic evaluation, whereas LC-MS/MS provided exploratory, sequence-specific support for the observed concentration-time profiles. Because many LC-MS/MS-derived concentrations were below the mathematically estimated LOQ, cross-platform comparisons were interpreted cautiously and were not considered evidence of analytical equivalence or interchangeability. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that plant-derived 1B18 mAbs possess favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and high bioavailability, supporting their potential as long-acting therapeutic candidates for botulism treatment and advancing sustainable antibody production strategies.
SN - 1424-8247
ER -