AstraZeneca therapy works against omicron; Regeneron’s results are mixed

AstraZeneca Y Regeneron reported strong data on the efficacy of their anti-HIV antibody therapies COVID-19 to combat the omicron variant of the coronavirus, underscoring the significant challenges ahead for drug manufacturers.

The American company Regeneron stated that its REGEN-VOC therapy, also called Ronapreve, is less effective against omicron, although it is still active against the delta variant, confirming the indications of laboratory tests and computer models carried out at the end of the month last.

However, its Anglo-Swedish rival AstraZeneca said a laboratory study found that its Evusheld antibody cocktail maintained neutralizing activity against omicron, the first data of its kind for the treatment.

The new variant has been detected in 77 countries since it was first identified three weeks ago, raising concerns that its large number of mutations will help it spread more rapidly and evade the protection offered by COVID vaccines and treatments. -19.

This week, German researchers discovered that the COVID-19 therapies developed by Eli Lilly and Regeneron lose most of their effectiveness when exposed in laboratory tests to omicron.

But laboratory studies conducted this week showed that GSK-Vir antibody treatment retains neutralizing activity against all tested coronavirus variants, including omicron.

The study on Evusheld was conducted by independent researchers from the US Food and Drug Administration using so-called pseudoviruses that have the main coronavirus mutations in the suspected variants that have emerged so far.

Way forward

The researchers found that Evusheld’s potency was within the ranges seen in people previously infected with COVID-19, showing promise for widespread use of the therapy, which is the first preventative injection other than coronavirus vaccines. .

AstraZeneca said the company and third parties are conducting further analysis of Evusheld against omicron, and that data is expected “very soon.”

Regeneron said REGEN-COV is still active against delta, which is currently the most prevalent variant in the United States.

However, the European Union’s public health body warned on Wednesday that there was a “very high” risk that omicron would become the dominant variant in Europe early next year.

The use of REGEN-COV is currently licensed in the United States to treat people with mild to moderate COVID-19 and for the prevention of infection in people exposed to infected individuals, as well as others at high risk of exposure.

Evusheld has been licensed to prevent COVID-19 infections in people with weak immune systems or a history of serious side effects from coronavirus vaccines.

Both treatments belong to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies that mimic natural antibodies in fighting infection. Unlike vaccines, they do not depend on the body to create an immune response, so they can help people with weak or compromised immune systems.