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By Hannah Millington
Health Reporter
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Antibodies from llamas could be used to create a new generation of schizophrenia treatments that can effectively target the brain, rather than just reducing symptoms.
This is the promise of a study led by scientists at the Institute of Functional Genomics in Montpellier, France, who have designed a new "nanobody", made from llama antibody fragments, that can activate a receptor involved in regulating neural activity.
The new molecule can be injected into veins or muscles and has demonstrated its ability to cross the protective 'blood–brain barrier' and effectively reach receptors in brain cells.
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This makes the new nanobody more effective than the antibodies currently used in schizophrenia treatments, according to the researchers. It is also biodegradable and associated with limited side effects.
"There is an urgent need for efficient and innovative therapies to treat brain disorders such as psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases," the study authors wrote.
"Immunotherapies have proved to be efficient in many medical areas, but have not been considered to treat brain diseases due to the poor brain penetration of immunoglobulins."
(Immunoglobulins are antibodies critical to the body's immune response.)
Although current treatments for schizophrenia—usually a combination of personalized talking therapies and medicines—can provide support and more day-to-day independence, the researchers say that they have little effect on the cognitive deficits impacting those living with the condition.
Affecting around one percent of Americans, schizophrenia can cause a range of different psychological symptoms related to thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions.
People may have so-called episodes, during which their symptoms are more severe, followed by periods when they experience few or no symptoms.
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"Patients have strong difficulties concentrating, leading to many cognitive problems," paper author and CNRS molecular biologist Jean-Philippe Pin told Newsweek.
According to Pin, medications currently given to patients with schizophrenia "treat the symptoms well, but less the cognitive deficits."
Some 'antipsychotics' currently used can also cause side effects in some people.
In the new study, the therapeutic effect of the nanobodies was evaluated in two animal models of schizophrenia. The treatment was seen to correct cognitive defects and improve the animal's brain function from the first injection—with the beneficial effect lasting for at least one week.
Pin explains that no llamas were harmed in the study—in fact, he added, "nowadays one can identify nanobodies from synthetic libraries generated in vitro, based on llama nanobody sequences. No need for the llama any more, and faster!"
It is not clear at present whether this new llama-derived therapy is effective enough to stand alone, but early signs appear promising.
"In humans obviously we don't know [yet], but in mice yes, it is sufficient to treat most deficits of schizophrenia," said Pin.
However, as schizophrenia is a chronic condition, any such human-approved treatment would need to be taken for life.
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Further clinical studies are now required to demonstrate that the nanobodies' ability to correct cognitive deficits could be safely and effectively applied to humans.
"For development as a therapeutic tool, more safety and bioavailability studies are needed. Production of large quantities of high quality must be set up to start human studies. For these two possibilities, either a company takes up our project or we find investors to create a startup company," Pin explained.
For now, the research confirms the potential of the nanobodies as a new therapeutic strategy acting on the brain, with scope for their use to eventually include the treatment of other neurological illnesses too.
"Our results establish a proof of concept that nanobodies can target brain receptors, and pave the way for nanobody-based therapeutic strategies for the treatment of brain disorders," the researchers wrote.
Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about schizophrenia? Let us know via health@newsweek.com.
Reference
Oosterlaken, M., Rogliardo, A., Lipina, T., Lafon, P.-A., Tsitokana, M. E., Keck, M., Cahuzac, H., Prieu-Sérandon, P., Diem, S., Derieux, C., Camberlin, C., Lafont, C., Meyer, D., Chames, P., Vandermoere, F., Marin, P., Prézeau, L., Servent, D., Salahpour, A., ... Rondard, P. (2025). Nanobody therapy rescues behavioural deficits of NMDA receptor hypofunction. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09265-8
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