United Kingdom: The UK's health regulator has recently approved an antibody cocktail developed by Regeneron and Roche to prevent and treat COVID-19. Moreover, it would be used on patients soon.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the drug Ronapreve could help prevent infection, help resolve symptoms of severe COVID-19 infection and reduce the chances of hospitalisation. It did this by binding tightly to the coronavirus at the lining of the respiratory system and prevent it from gaining access to cells of the respiratory system.
"This treatment will be a significant addition to our armoury to tackle COVID-19," British health minister Sajid Javid said in a statement.
Ronapreve can be either injected or infused. It belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies, which mimic natural antibodies produced by the body to fight off infections. It is not a substitution for vaccination, the MHRA said.
Last month Japan became the first country to approve Ronapreve to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infections.
(Reporting by Muvija M and Sachin Ravikumar in Bengaluru)
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