Regeneron antibody cocktail cuts risk of death for patients in hospital, study finds

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc’s (NASDAQ:REGN) antibody cocktail cuts the risk of death when given to patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19 that haven’t built an immune response to the virus. The treatment uses a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, casirivimab and imdevimab, that bind to two different sites on the coronavirus spike protein, neutralising the ability of the virus to infect cells. READ: AstraZeneca reports failure in COVID-19 antibody trial on people already exposed to virus Researchers at the University of Oxford analysed the drug on 9,785 patients already in hospital as part of the wider RECOVERY trial, which has been investigating potential treatment for COVID-19. It cut the chances of dying by one-fifth compared with those receiving usual care alone, so 24% of patients who received the therapy died compared to 30% of those who hadn’t. Previous studies in non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients have shown that Regeneron’s antibody combination reduces viral load, shortens the time to resolution of symptoms, and significantly reduces the risk of hospitalisation or death. The RECOVERY trial has so far involved 40,071 participants across 180 active sites globally. It is currently studying rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis treatment dimethyl fumarate and high-dose vs standard corticosteroids. It has also previously demonstrated that anti-inflammatory treatment tocilizumab and cheap steroid treatment dexamethasone also cut risk of death in hospitalised patients. Aspirin, convalescent plasma (a component of blood donated by people who have recovered from COVID-19), HIV treatment lopinavir-ritonavir and antimalaria drug hydroxychloroquine were not found to help. There’s plenty of medicines already approved or undergoing trials out there, although it has gone a bit under the radar following the success of COVID-19 vaccines. But despite the progress, there isn’t a go-to treatment that is expected to cure the virus yet. Hospitals have used drugs normally targeted at other conditions such as corticosteroids, blood thinners and monoclonal antibodies. Countries such as the US have been using Gilead Sciences Inc’s (NASDAQ:GILD) remdesivir, although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised against it because there is currently no evidence that it improves survival or the need for ventilation. Last month, GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LON:GSK) received emergency use authorisation in the US for sotrovimab, an investigational single-dose monoclonal antibody developed with Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR), for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients aged over 12. AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN), instead, said this week the trial for a COVID-19 antibody did not meet its primary goal of preventing symptoms in people exposed to the virus. In the small-cap world, Synairgen PLC (LON:SNG) is at the final stage of trials for its inhaled interferon beta SNG001, while Tiziana Life Sciences PLC (NASDAQ:TLSA)(LON:TILS) is at phase II of clinical trials for its monoclonal antibody, also to be administered through the nose. Evgen Pharma PLC (LON:EVG) is at phase II/III of its study on SFX-01 for people in acute respiratory distress, including those with severe coronavirus. Shares in Regeneron were flat at US$527.30 in premarket trading.