Regeneron Pharmaceuticals REGN-COV2 Antibody Cocktail Reduced Viral Levels and Improved Symptoms in Non-Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Regeneron’s neutralizing antibody cocktail is still being studied in clinical trials as a treatment for non-hospitalized patients with milder and more moderate forms of the disease.

A vaccine can protect but cannot treat an already infected person. In contrast, laboratory-made antibodies (Y-shaped proteins that can help fight a foreign substance) can do both – protect and treat.

Regeneron is developing monoclonal antibodies for prevention and therapy of COVID-19. According to information on the company’s website, these antibodies would be injected into an infected individual; the antibodies would recognize and inactivate the coronavirus. Such a therapy would bridge the lag until the patient’s immune system was able to produce enough of its own antibodies; some patients with weak immune system may never produce antibodies to fight the virus.

“Regeneron’s antibody cocktail REGN-COV2 has shown efficacy by reducing viral load and associated symptoms in infected COVID-19 patients,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron.”

The greatest treatment benefit was in “patients who had not mounted their own effective immune response”, suggesting that REGN-COV2 could provide a therapeutic substitute for the naturally-occurring immune response.

Regeneron confirmed it provided a single, 8-gram dose of its REGN-COV2 treatment for use by the president, who was diagnosis with coronavirus.

Regeneron’s antibody cocktail is experimental and has not received emergency use approval from the FDA, but it was provided in response to a compassionate use request.

CNBC reported that a “limited number of patients” had also received the drug on that basis after speaking with Regeneron’s chief scientific officer, Dr. George Yancopoulos.

Last week, Regeneron said its REGN-COV2 treatment improved symptoms and reduced viral loads in non-hospitalized patients who have mild to moderate Covid-19. That was based on results for the first 275 trial patients. At the time, the company indicated it plans to “rapidly” discuss the early results with regulatory agencies, including the FDA.

Monoclonal antibodies are viewed by experts have viewed as a promising potential Covid-19 treatment.

Regeneron’s REGN-COV2 is an experimental shot of lab-generated antibodies that mimics how the body would mount a reaction to a foreign invader. The goal is to boost the immune system’s defenses, rather than to wait on human biology to do its job.

References:

1. https://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/aktien/regeneron-s-regn-cov2-antibody-cocktail-reduced-viral-levels-and-improved-symptoms-in-non-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-9344010
2. https://patch.com/us/across-america/human-antibody-has-potential-work-prevention-therapy-coronavirus
3. https://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/aktien/regeneron-s-regn-cov2-antibody-cocktail-reduced-viral-levels-and-improved-symptoms-in-non-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-9344010
4. https://www.regeneron.com/antibodies