A new antibody medication for people with COVID has been licenced in the United Kingdom, which reduces the risk of severe sickness.
It’s called sotrovimab, and preliminary tests show it should be effective even against novel varieties like Omicron. The medicine adheres to the virus and prevents it from entering our cells when administered as an infusion into a vein.
A single dose reduced the risk of hospitalisation and mortality in high-risk patients by 79 percent in a clinical trial.
The medicine is the second of its kind of monoclonal antibody therapy to be approved by UK regulators.
When given early in the infection, both sotrovimab and ronapreve are most effective. According to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), they should be used within five days of the onset of symptoms.
GSK, the maker of sotrovimab (Xevudy), says it has conducted preliminary lab studies to see how well the medication works against Omicron.
More testing is needed, but researchers believe the medicine targets a region of the virus’s spike protein that hasn’t undergone significant modifications or mutations, implying that it could work effectively.
There are a few different sorts of therapies for COVID aside from vaccines that are aimed at helping prevent infections in the first place and reducing the risk of becoming very ill. They are divided into three groups:
•Antibodies that can target the virus (such as sotrovimab and ronapreve)
•Antiviral tablets (such as molnupiravir) that directly impact the coronavirus’s capacity to survive within the body
•Drugs that calm the immune system (such as dexamethasone)
The majority of people with COVID do not require therapy and recover within a few weeks. It’s possible that you’ll be able to care for yourself at home. Resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking paracetamol or ibuprofen are all things that can help you feel better if you have the flu.
If your condition worsens, you should seek medical attention. People who suspect they have Covid should be tested and isolated themselves to help prevent the infection from spreading.
