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Is this finally the game-changer? Antibody cocktail could cut COVID risk by nearly 82 percent, Regeneron study shows – hopes are high that we can now get Corona under control!
Hammer results after study give hope!
A new antibody cocktail developed by Regeneron could reduce COVID-19 risk by nearly 82 percent, according to new study results from the pharmaceutical company.
The company said in a press release that new results from its Phase III clinical trials showed that a single dose of its REGEN-COV antibody treatment reduced the risk of developing COVID-19 by 81.6 percent two to eight months after administration. One month after administration, the antibody treatment reduced the risk by 81.4 percent.
“In this study, a single dose of REGEN-COV provided long-term protection against COVID-19, including at times of particularly high risk from home exposure and longer-term with continued broader exposure,” said George Yancopoulos, M.D., president and chief scientific officer at Regeneron.
More safety for the uninfected!
“These data add to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of REGEN-COV to prevent COVID-19 in uninfected individuals, which could be particularly useful for the many immunocompromised people who do not respond adequately to vaccines and remain ‘prisoners of the pandemic,'” he added.
The study involved 1,683 people who were not infected with COVID-19 or had antibodies to the coronavirus, the company said. For eight months, half of the participants received a dose of 1,200 milligrams of REGEN-COV, while the other half received a placebo.
“During the eight-month assessment period, 0 people in the REGEN-COV group were hospitalized due to COVID-19 compared to 6 people in the placebo group,” Regeneron said. “There were no deaths due to COVID-19 in any of the treatment groups during the eight-month assessment period, and no new safety signals were identified for REGEN-COV.”
Emergency approval granted!
Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency approval for Regeneron’s antibody cocktail, allowing its use in certain individuals at high risk for infection with COVID-19.
During a recent appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Regeneron CEO Len Schleifer said the antibody cocktail “may” be used as an alternative to the COVID-19 vaccine for certain individuals who are opposed to vaccination.
“We believe in vaccines, so we don’t think we can make enough antibodies at an affordable price from a public health and population standpoint to use them broadly,” Schleifer said.
“But in treating select individuals, sometimes we need to be a little more compassionate,” he continued. “People may not want to be vaccinated. We have to understand that. If you’re in the military or you’re a teacher or you’re on the front lines and you’re legitimately scared, maybe you could offer that vaccination as an alternative. That’s something we need to discuss.