Eli Lilly reports a reduced rate of hospitalization for coronavirus patients using its neutralizing antibody treatment

Eli Lilly said its experimental monoclonal antibody treatment (LY-CoV555) has helped patients rid their systems of the coronavirus sooner, potentially preventing them from hospitalization. The monoclonal antibody was identified from a blood sample taken from one of the first U.S. patients who recovered from Covid-19.

Eli Lilly said it tested three different doses of LY-CoV555 against a placebo in a trial enrolling roughly 450 patients. The middle dose of 2,800 mg met the trial’s target of significantly reducing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 after 11 days.

“The results reinforce our conviction that neutralizing antibodies can help in the fight against COVID-19.” Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories.

Most study hospitalizations occurred in patients with underlying risk factors (age or BMI), suggesting a more pronounced treatment effect for patients in these higher-risk groups. Ongoing studies will seek to confirm this finding. Across all treatment groups (including placebo), no patients progressed to mechanical ventilation or died. Exploratory analyses indicated a more rapid improvement in symptoms for patients treated with LY-CoV555 versus placebo, supporting the hospitalization effect.

“These interim data from the BLAZE-1 trial suggest that LY-CoV555, an antibody specifically directed against SARS-CoV-2, has a direct antiviral effect and may reduce COVID-related hospitalizations,” said  Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories. “The results reinforce our conviction that neutralizing antibodies can help in the fight against COVID-19,” Skovronsky said in a statement.

References:

1. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/16/coronavirus-eli-lilly-reports-a-reduced-rate-of-hospitalization-for-patients-using-its-antibody-treatment.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Message
2. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-announces-proof-concept-data-neutralizing-antibody-ly