US increases order for Glaxo’s Kovid-19 antibody drug

Even as vaccination rates tick up, antibody drugs, which mimic part of the body’s natural immune response to the virus, have been able to fight COVID-19 and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed as cases rise. have proved useful.

Glaxo and the Vir drug, sotrovimab, were granted emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in May. It was shown in a trial to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 79% in adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 at high risk of developing severe disease. The company said laboratory tests showed the antibody was still effective against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the US since July.

According to a person familiar with the agreement, the latest US government contract is worth $651.1 million and includes about 300,000 doses. This adds to an earlier order of $279.9 million. Glaxo said it will deliver doses by December 17th.

Sotrovimab is one of three antibody treatments available in the US. Other Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and are made by Eli Lilly & Co. The treatment of Glaxo and Vir is a single antibody, while the other two treatments combine the two antibodies.

Antibody treatments are given by intravenous infusion or a series of shots in a hospital or clinic, a complication that has limited their availability.

They will soon compete with new pills for early treatment of COVID-19 developed by Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc. Medicines that can be taken at home have also been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death. Awaiting emergency authorization from FDA. The pills work by blocking the virus’s ability to replicate.

Glaxo and Weir are also investigating whether sotrovimab could be used as a vaccine-like preventive treatment in people with weakened immune systems.

Glaxo said the latest agreement with the US government brings the total number of sotrovimab doses sold worldwide to about 750,000.