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The antibody cocktail may have saved Donald Trump.
Beyond a vaccine, an effective drug against the coronavirus is the main hope to be able to return to normal daily life.
And there is one type of drug that has more hope than anything else: monoclonal antibodies.
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Antibodies are the body’s main defense against diseases that it has already been exposed to. The antibodies prevent the virus from multiplying once it has entered the body.
Monoclonal antibodies are the most effective antibodies found against a virus, which is grown in large quantities. These antibodies can then be given to humans, either to prevent infection by the virus or to help the body fight an infection.
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Many companies work with this type of medicine.
There are several companies working on such a drug against the crown.
AstraZeneca, which is currently best known for its work on the so-called Oxford vaccine, is in the first phase of testing the drug.
Also read: The Swedish-British company believes in a possible vaccination this year
The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly recently released the results of its phase 2 study of the drug under the outright name LY-COV555. This medicine consists of only one type of antibody.
The results so far show that people with a mild and moderate course of the disease recover faster and that fewer people need hospitalization. But for people who have already become seriously ill, the effect is absent. Among other things, this has led to the completion of a study looking specifically at hospital patients.
Also read: The body can get two different types of immunity to covid-19: the difference between antibodies and T cells
And then there is the American company Regeneron, which is at the forefront of the race with its phase 3 study of its “cocktail” of two types of antibodies that have been called REGN-COV2. The drug has shown very promising results, and to the surprise of many, the experimental drug was given to Donald Trump when he became infected.
When Donald Trump fell ill, he was given access to Regeneron’s antibody medicine, which is still being tested.
Photo: REUTERS / Joshua Roberts
The president himself believes that this was the medicine that made the difference in the world for him. The 74-year-old man was released from the hospital shortly after.
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The drug appears to work in sicker patients than the competitor’s version, but before last weekend, the company received a recommendation from an independent committee to stop testing the sickest patients with severe breathing problems. It is not clear exactly why this recommendation came about. However, the committee believed that they could continue the study in other patients.
Very challenging to produce
If the drug were approved, it would have a major disadvantage: production is difficult and time-consuming. Nor is there much spare production capacity that can only be used.
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Regeneron has entered into an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant Roche, which is equivalent to 650,000-2,000,000 doses a year, depending on how sick it is to be used. The use of two different types of antibodies helps complicate production. They have said they hope to have 50,000 doses ready by the new year.
Given that around 250,000 cases of infection are currently confirmed every day in Europe and around 90,000 a day in the United States, it will obviously not be a drug for everyone.
Also read: The government asks us to follow stricter infection control measures: – There is confusion among the Norwegian people about what the measures really mean
Regeneron drug unlikely to reach Norway
There are also many indications that Regeneron medicine will be reserved for the United States. Donald Trump has promised that the drug will be free for Americans.
The Norwegian Health Directorate informs Nettavisen that they are unaware that neither Norway nor the EU have purchase agreements for Regeneron products.
Last week, Eli Lilly also stated that his first priority was to help reduce the burden of disease in the United States.
Therefore, the vaccine is probably Norway’s only hope in the short term.
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