AstraZeneca antibody drug effective at treating mild Covid in trial

[LONDON] AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail was effective at preventing mild or moderate Covid-19 infections from worsening in a study that bolsters the drugmaker's ambitions for the product.

The cocktail halved the risk of severe illness or death compared with a placebo in 822 participants who had been symptomatic for a week or less and were not hospitalised, Astra said in a statement Monday.

The results are another boon for the injected product after it was also found to be highly effective at preventing symptomatic disease in high-risk people. It adds to optimism about additional weapons to fight the pandemic after Merck & Co said it will soon have the first Covid pill. Both treatments could offer a simple way to treat patients before they ever reach the hospital.

Astra shares rose less than 1 per cent in London trading. They have gained more than 20 per cent this year. The results are a relief for the UK drugmaker, given that the cocktail failed to prevent symptomatic disease in people explicitly exposed to the virus in an initial trial in June.

Astra said last week that it had applied for emergency-use authorisation in the US. The UK has started an expedited review of the drug, and the company plans to file for authorisation in the European Union shortly, Astra executives said at a press briefing Monday.

Antibody treatments are a key tool in the fight against Covid. They can be used to supplement vaccines for people who have not mounted a strong response to the shots or to protect those who cannot be immunised. Cancer sufferers or people with weakened immune systems could be eligible for such cocktails.

The data on 822 people showed 18 cases of Covid worsening in the medicated group, compared with 37 in the placebo arm. The cocktail was generally well tolerated.

The trial took place in countries including the UK, Brazil, the US and Germany, and Astra plans to conduct a pediatric study for the drug starting early next year, executives told reporters.

Other trials looking at whether the treatment can help hospitalised patients are ongoing, as well as a study comparing intravenous and intramuscular administration of the cocktail.

Singapore's public vaccination programme uses the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The AstraZeneca one was reported in April to be available through the private healthcare sector.

Like all other medicines supplied under the Special Access Route, the doctor administering the vaccine and the patient should discuss the risks and benefits of using vaccines not registered or authorised by the Health Sciences Authority and jointly make an informed decision.

Patients will also need to sign an informed consent form to acknowledge that they have discussed the vaccine with their doctor and accept all responsibility for the risks.

BLOOMBERG