ICMR Invites EoI for Monoclonal Antibodies on Nipah Virus

Expressions of interest (EoI) have been invited by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to firms, manufacturers and research organizations that have the capability to develop and produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Nipah virus.

The deadline to submit the final version is November 6, 2025. Nipah virus is considered to be one of the most dangerous zoonotic diseases in India with high fatality rate and without any approved vaccines or antivirals which poses a serious risk to the population.

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The goal of ICMR in partnership with capable partners would be to further the R&D and large scale production of monoclonal antibodies to provide timely and in-country supply in case of an outbreak. The scientific groundwork is being led by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune.

The institute boasts of the latest BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs, and this has already achieved considerable headway in research and preclinical research. The project aims to take advantage of the infrastructure and experience of ICMR on outbreak investigation, molecular characterization, vaccine candidate development, and clinical trials.

Scholars reiterate that monoclonal antibodies, as a biomedical countermeasure against Nipah, is now the most promising and provides early treatment of infected individuals and post-exposure healthcare workers. The procurement of locally produced mAbs will assist India to act promptly when the outbreaks occur and enhance its preparedness to new viral threats.

Nipah research is going on globally, and no licensed vaccine or antiviral has been made yet. The call by ICMR can be seen as a strategic step that will help India to become a leading actor in the development of life-saving solutions to the Nipah virus since it will result in their self-reliance in terms of biotherapeutics.