Most of the coronavirus-related measures in place have been implemented with the aim of preventing infection.
That’s because we don’t have a cure for the disease.
But as we all know, no matter how strict our border restrictions are, how much we keep people at home, or how many bubble tea stores we close, the coronavirus will always find a way to wiggle its way into our systems.
And that’s where treatments come into play.
To date, various experimental COVID-19 treatments have been used on patients, with some yielding better results than others.
The good news for patients here is that we already have a number of COVID-19 treatments available for them. And soon, a new drug from a vaccine maker could be on that list.
Everything About AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Antibody Drug That’s Coming to S’pore by End of 2021
Evusheld, an antibody drug developed by AstraZeneca, is expected to arrive in Singapore by the end of the year.
Reports indicate that Singapore has inked an agreement with the pharmaceutical company for the drug cocktail to treat COVID-19.
Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug for Emergency Use Authorisation for the prevention of COVID-19.
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Promising Results From Clinical Trial
Phase 3 clinical trials for the drug certainly had promising results.
In the trials, COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate disease were given Evusheld within three days of the onset of symptoms.
The trials showed that the drug was able to slash the risk of severe COVID-19 or death by 88%.
Preliminary findings also showed it to be effective against variants of concern, such as the Delta variant. The company believes that its efficacy should not be “significantly impacted” by the Omicron variant.
Cocktail of “Long” Antibodies
The drug is a cocktail of “long” antibodies, which, as the name suggests, can provide protection for a longer time – up to a year.
This is because it takes longer to metabolise in the body, as compared to monoclonal antibodies, which are antibodies made in a laboratory by cloning unique white blood cells. Both types of antibodies, much like natural antibodies, help the body fight off infections.
The two antibodies used in Evusheld were developed from antibody-producing B-cells that were donated by recovering COVID-19 patients.
The drug could be particularly useful for COVID-19 patients who already have weakened immune systems, as vaccines may not provide much protection for them.
A few months ago, Merck, an American multinational pharmaceutical company, announced that it had signed a supply and purchase agreement with Singapore for its antiviral pill, molnupiravir.
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Featured Image: Mats Wiklund / Shutterstock.com
