Regeneron’s drug cocktail shown to prevent symptomatic COVID-19
pharmafile | April 13, 2021 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | COVID-19, REGEN-COV, Regeneron, covid-19 treatment, pharma, pharma news
Regeneron’s REGEN-COV treatment cocktail for COVID-19, a combination between casirivimab and imdevimab, has shown a significant reduction in progression to symptomatic versions of the virus, according to a Phase III trial.
The study of recently infected asymptomatic COVID-19 patients showed that REGEN-COV reduced the overall risk of progressing to symptomatic COVID-19 by 31%, and by 76% after the third day, following a 1,200mg subcutaneous administration of the drug cocktail.
The trial also demonstrated that REGEN-COV shortened symptom duration by 45%, and markedly reduced viral levels, by more than 90%. While not included in the initial analysis plan, researchers also found that no REGEN-COV patients were hospitalised because of COVID-19 during the 29-day assessment period, as compared to six participants on the placebo.
This study is the second by Regeneron to report results this week, with another showing REGEN-COV to reduce symptomatic COVID-19 infections by 81%.
The placebo-controlled Phase III trial assessed the effect of REGEN-COV on 1,505 uninfected individuals without antibodies or COVID-19 symptoms, who lived in the same household as an individual who tested positive for the virus within the previous four days.
Both trials were jointly run by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health in the US.
Dr Katharine Bar, Co-Principal Investigator of the trial, and Assistant Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said: ”COVID-19 transmission often occurs via infected people who do not yet have symptoms, so it is critical that we rapidly diagnose and treat these individuals for their own health and to prevent transmission.
”These data pave the way for REGEN-COV to be used before patients become symptomatic, with a more convenient subcutaneous administration.”
Dr George D Yancopoulos PhD, President and Chief Scientific Officer at Regeneron, added: ”These Phase III data provide even more evidence that REGEN-COV, this time given to asymptomatic patients via convenient injections, can change the course of COVID-19 infection in non-hospitalised patients.
“In this trial, the REGEN-COV antibody cocktail effectively prevented asymptomatic patients from becoming symptomatic, and rapidly lowered their viral load.”
Jack Goddard
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