BY AGENCY REPORTER
Janet Diaz, Head of Clinical Care, World Health Organisation, has said that Regeneron antibody drug cocktail, ‘casirivimab and imdevimab,’ has been added to WHO list of treatments for COVID-19 patients.
Diaz described it as a major breakthrough in the care of COVID-19 patients, noting that it was important to underscore the need for lower prices and equitable distribution of the drugs.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the latest addition to WHO’s list of treatment for COVID-19 was reported on UN website on Friday.
Diaz said, “This is our first recommendation for those patients with mild, moderate disease. This is because it reduces the need for hospitalisation if they are at high risk.
“Those with severe cases of the disease and no existing antibodies included. Giving them this additional antibody seems to show an effect. And what effect is that? A reduction in mortality.’’
She stressed that the antibody therapy was granted emergency use authorisation in the United States in November 2020 after it was used to treat former President Donald Trump when he was admitted to hospital with the virus.
Noting that the United Kingdom approved Regeneron while it is under review in Europe, Diaz said that WHO’s recommendations were largely based on data from a British study of 9,000 patients in June which found that the therapy reduced deaths in hospitalised patients whose own immune systems had failed to produce a response.
“We are taking the information from the UK study and generalising it to other persons. We saw there was a benefit we thought was meaningful.’’
She said that the treatment had been in use for decades to treat many other diseases, including cancers.
Diaz urged Regeneron to lower the drug’s price and work on equitable distribution worldwide, saying, “We know that the life-saving benefits and the benefits for patients with COVID-19 is significant and requires action.
“WHO has also been in discussions with the company for a donation and distribution of the drug through UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, following allocation criteria set by the health agency.
“We are working together with the company so, we can address these very important issues so we can have equitable access.
“Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator partners are also working with WHO on an equitable access framework for recommended COVID-19 therapeutics. There are bottlenecks and we are aware of those.’’
