First it was vaccines, then came the booster shots and now the pharmaceutical industry has finally reached the anti-COVID medication wave. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN.O) recently revealed their new COVID-19 treatment called REGEN-COV. This antibody therapy can reduce COVID-19 vulnerability risk by 81.6 per cent with a single dose, as shown in a two to eight-month late-stage trial.
The United States has already authorized the antibiotic cocktail for treatment intervention in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients, for preventing infection in those exposed to the infected individuals, and others working in high-risk spaces like nursing homes or prisons.
The emergency authorization could help distribute Regeneron's antibody cocktail when facing competition from other oral COVID-19 medications such as those manufactured by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Merck & Co (MRK.N).
"According to data from trials, Regeneron's drug has the potential to deliver long-lasting resistance from COVID-19 infection. This makes it especially beneficial for the immunocompromised or those that can't utilize the vaccine," said Myron Cohen, a representative of the U.S. National Institutes of Health-sponsored COVID Prevention Network.
"Even with widespread vaccination campaigns, infections are still emerging all over. Hence, the immunocompromised face a constant risk of contracting the virus," said George Yancopoulos, the Chief Scientific Officer at Regeneron.
Regeneron stated that trials have been positive. There were no hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the REGEN-COV group during the eight-month assessment, but six infections were reported in the placebo group.
Researchers validated the drug impact even after the immediate risk of household infection had subsided. It intends to share the additional data with regulatory authorities rapidly.