Henipaviruses are lethal zoonotic paramyxoviruses with high mortality, increasing geographic reach, and a growing number of identified species and variants. No vaccines or therapeutics are licensed for human use, creating an urgent need for effective interventions. This review highlights recent advances in neutralizing antibodies against the viral attachment (G) and fusion (F) glycoproteins, focusing on structural and mechanistic insights. Lead monoclonal antibodies target conserved epitopes and block viral entry through receptor interference or fusion inhibition. Key challenges, including narrow treatment windows and viral escape, underscore the need for rationally designed combinations and broad-spectrum, escape-resistant candidates. By consolidating current progress, we outline strategies for developing antibody therapeutics with high translational impact, serving as a first line of defense in outbreak settings and as a complementary intervention to vaccines for comprehensive henipavirus management.
Zhao et al. (Thu,) studied this question.