Similar therapies have already been approved for emergency use in the United States,including the antibody treatment from Regeneron that former US President Donald Trump received during his COVID infection in 2020.Credit:AP
Similar therapies have already been approved for emergency use in the United States,including the antibody treatment from Regeneronthat former US President Donald Trump received during his COVID infection in 2020.
At the end of last month GSK announced it was seeking emergency use authorisation for its product in the US,after an interim analysis of the phase 3 trial of the drug showed an 85 per cent reduction in hospitalisations when the product was used.
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The Australian provisional determination lets the company start submitting data for a local approval too.
Medical lead for COVID therapeutics at GSK Australia,Dr Krystal Evans,said the product aimed to help boost the immune response of those fighting COVID-19.
“Monoclonal antibodies are designed based on the natural antibodies the body makes. Their role is to bind to the virus and to stop it entering into host cells - stopping the virus in its tracks,and to help fight off already infected cells,” she said.
“Neutralising monoclonal antibodies are directed towards the virus - and they essentially flag and tag the virus,to help the immune response clear the virus.”