GSK-Vir treatment sotrovimab reduces COVID-19 hospitalization and death

• GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Vir Biotechnology confirmed on Monday that their monoclonal antibody treatment, sotrovimab, reduced hospitalization and death among high-risk COVID-19 patients by 79%.
• Sotromivab, which is currently administered by intravenous drip, has been approved by the FDA and the NIH.
• GSK is currently testing a more convenient administration via intramuscular shot.

The monoclonal antibody treatment from GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Vir Biotechnology, sotrovimab, significantly reduced hospitalization and death among high-risk COVID-19 patients when given early in the disease, according to the final results of a late-stage study.

Sotrovimab has already received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May, as well as approval from the European Union’s drug regulator.

On Monday, the drugmakers confirmed that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended sotrovimab as a treatment for high-risk, non-hospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

The agency added in its updated guidelines that the treatment appeared to “retain activity” against current variants of the disease.

The study involved 1,057 patients. The drugmakers said on Monday that sotrovimab reduced the risk of hospitalization for more than 24 hours or death by any cause by 79%.

How monoclonal antibody treatments work

The body’s immune system naturally generates antibodies to fight off infection.

However, not everyone has a strong immune system that is capable of quickly generating antibodies that can fight off specific infections, such as COVID-19. That’s where monoclonal antibodies come in — they mimic natural antibodies that have been found to be effective in neutralizing infections.

COVID-19 patients treated with monoclonal antibodies get a temporary immunity boost that helps prevent the disease’s progression into more severe symptoms.

U.S. regulators have approved other similar therapies, such as those developed by Regeneron and Eli Lilly, for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19.

Sotromivab is currently administered by intravenous drip. According to GSK, they are currently testing a more convenient administration via intramuscular shot.

Source: Aol.com