Coronavirus: Regeneron’s antiviral cocktail reduces viral load and need for medical care, trial shows
- Patients on therapy, which US President Donald Trump also received, were 57 per cent less likely to need medical care within month of treatment
- Cocktail appears to be most potent for those at higher risk, including older patients and those with other medical conditions
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said data from a late-stage clinical trial suggest that its antibody cocktail therapy for Covid-19 significantly reduces virus levels and the need for further medical care.
Patients getting the therapy were 57 per cent less likely to need medical care within a month of treatment, with 2.8 per cent of those given the antibody and 6.5 per cent of those on placebo seeing a health care worker within 29 days.
The Tarrytown, New York-based company has shared the results with US regulators who are currently evaluated the antibody cocktail for an emergency use authorisation for high risk patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19. Regeneron’s therapy was given to President Donald Trump earlier this month after he tested positive for the coronavirus.
Shares of Regeneron rose 3 per cent in after-hours trading in New York on Wednesday.
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“We continue to see the strongest effects in patients who are most at risk for poor outcomes due to high viral load,” said Chief Scientific Officer George Yancopoloulos.
