Prevention without vaccines

The first preventive drug from covid has been successfully tested

Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly said that an experimental antibody-based drug reduces the risk of covid disease by 80%. These are the preliminary results of the third phase of the tests. The drug can become an effective method of rapid suppression of coronavirus outbreaks among the unvaccinated population.

Unlike the vaccine, which teaches the body to produce more antibodies against the virus and requires several weeks to form effective immunity, antibody therapy directly enriches patients with monoclonal antibodies created in the laboratory and immediately gives them the opportunity to resist infection.

In November 2020 , the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly received from The US FDA has approved the use of the drug bamlanivimab (bamlanivimab) in emergency cases. However, clinical trials are still ongoing, and researchers are looking for the optimal way to use this drug. Thus, it has already been established that bamlanivimab should be given to patients only in the early stages, otherwise it may worsen their condition, the company's press release reports.

The third phase of trials began in August among staff and residents of nursing homes who were given either bamlanivimab or a placebo for seven days after the first case of coronavirus infection appeared in the social circle. The results showed that the drug reduced the probability of infection with COVID-19 by 80% compared to the control group.

"The results of this innovative study further confirm that bamlanivimab – and potentially other monoclonal antibodies – can reduce symptoms and even prevent COVID-19," said Myron Cohen, one of the trial leaders. "The antiviral activity in the case of the use of bamlanivimab underlines the importance of early medical intervention to prevent the devastating effect of the virus on the vulnerable population and other patients at risk."

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