Swiss pharma Roche claims ‘promising results’ after clinical trials of anti-Covid cocktail

Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche on Monday announced that its COVID-19 antibody cocktail casirivimab and imdevimab were found to be effective against severe coronavirus infection. In a report published on its website on March 22, the company claimed that the antibody cocktail treatment reduced the duration of the novel SARS-CoV-2 symptoms by at least four days from 14 or 10,  and it cut short the rate of hospitalization. 

The phase III REGN-COV 2067 trial, furthermore revealed that the investigational antibody cocktail mixture of casirivimab and imdevimab reduced mortality by 70 percent among people even with the compromised immunity or with comorbidity. Roche’s COVID-19 treatment was tested on the ‘high-risk non-hospitalized patients’ that were positive to the COVID-19, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable population. Moreover, the company stated that the phase II trial (REGN-COV 20145) showed that the monoclonal antibody potion significantly reduced the comparable viral load of COVID-19. 

“Today's results show the important medical benefit casirivimab and imdevimab may provide to people with COVID-19 by significantly reducing their risk of hospitalization and death,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development in a statement released by Roche.

He added, “New infections continue to rise globally with over three million reported cases last week, so this investigational antibody cocktail may offer hope as a potential new therapy to high-risk patients.”

Effective against new variants

Garraway lauded the clinical results of the antibody cocktail saying that it has proven effective even against the emerging new variants of SARS-CoV-2 which are more virulent and carry high transmissibility. Roche’s clinical trials were conducted in partnership with Regeneron, whose monoclonal antibody cocktail was touted by the former US President Donald Trump, who went at lengths to call the treatment “a cure”. 

The pharmaceutical firm enrolled at least 25, 000 participants for the casirivimab and imdevimab clinical trials, the detailed results from the study were submitted for peer review. The price estimates for the antibody cocktail treatment of COVID-19 were not yet listed by the company, however, the firm stated that the potion will be affordable for low-income countries. 

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