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The developers of a possible COVID-19 antibody treatment have moved the trials into a third phase, hailing “quick wins” with no safety concerns to date.
The world’s largest vaccine player, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Vir Biotechnology said their testing program will also expand to new sites in North America, South America and Europe.
The couple have been working on an antibody-based treatment since April, while GSK has a separate vaccine partnership with Sanofi that entered clinical trials last month.
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UK-based GlaxoSmithKline is the world’s largest vaccine player
The Comet-Ice trial being developed with Vir, which began human trials in August, is expected to enable early treatment of the coronavirus in high-risk patients by destroying affected cells.
The companies have also pointed to encouraging results in the resistance and protection of the lungs in the 20 patients with the disease who have participated so far.
George Scangos, CEO of Vir, said of the move to phase three: “The rapid achievement of this important milestone reflects the urgency with which we are mobilizing our resources in hopes of preventing the worst consequences of this deadly virus.
“Vir-7831 (also known as GSK4182136) is an antibody with characteristics that can allow it to prevent hospitalization or death through multiple mechanisms.”
Dr. Hal Barron, GSK Scientific Director and President of Research and Design, added: “The high barrier to resistance of this neutralizing antibody, its remarkable effector function, and its enhanced delivery to the lung suggest that it has the best potential for your class in the fight against this global pandemic. “
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They hope to have the initial results of the phase three trial, which will use the results of 1,300 patients, by the end of the year.
Half of them will receive a placebo.
Pharmaceutical companies are racing to find effective treatments in the hope that normal life can resume after a catastrophic 2020 for the global economy and the loss of more than a million lives.
It was an antibody-based treatment given to Donald Trump in the White House last week after his coronavirus diagnosis.
The experimental treatment, from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, was requested by the president’s doctor and has reportedly been used in some UK hospitals with encouraging results.
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While treatments are vital, the ultimate goal of scientists is still a vaccine.
A Sky News Covid Vaccine Tracker shows that there are currently eight vaccines that have reached the final stage of testing, requiring extensive human trials using volunteers.
The government has ordered millions of doses of Astrazeneca and Novavax, but the head of the country’s vaccine task force has expressed fears in an interview with the Financial Times that half the population could be lost.
