An experimental COVID-19 antibody drug cocktail developed by AstraZeneca could reduce severe disease or death in non-hospitalized patients in a late-stage study, stated the drug maker on Monday.

The drug, known as AZD7442, was found to decrease the risk of developing severe COVID-19 or death by 50% in patients who had been symptomatic for <7 days. Executive vice president, biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, MenePangalos, said that an early intervention with the antibody drug can significantly reduce progression to severe disease, with persistent protection for over six months.

The company is also developing the drug cocktail as a treatment for the protection of people with a weak immune response to COVID-19 vaccines, and sought emergency use approval from U.S. authorities as a preventive drug last week… (ET Healthworld – Reuters, October 11, 2021)