A synthetic antibody treatment developed by Regeneron reduced the risk of contracting symptomatic Covid-19 by more than 80% over eight months, the US biotech firm said Monday.
The results are “particularly important for those who do not respond to the vaccines against Covid-19, including immunosuppressed people, “said University of North Carolina scientist Myron Cohen who is leading a government-sponsored investigation of the treatment.
During a follow-up period of two to eight months, there were seven cases of Covid-19 in the treatment group and 38 in the placebo group, representing a reduction of 81.6 percent.
There were no hospitalizations among those who received the treatment and 6 in the placebo group.
“A single dose of REGEN-COV granted long-term protection against Covid-19even at times of high risk from exposure in homes and longer term during the current broader exposure, “said George Yancopoulos, president and chief scientist of the company.
Treatment is based on two monoclonal antibodies produced in laboratories. They are Y-shaped proteins that target the surface of the coronavirus and prevent it from invading human cells.
Vaccines also prepare the immune system to make these antibodies. But many people, especially the elderly and immunocompromised, do not respond well to vaccines, and those groups benefit more from “passive vaccination” in which antibodies are administered directly.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx