Antibody injection cuts severe COVID-19 risk, concludes AstraZeneca study

An antibody combination treatment delivered through an injection has shown “statistically significant” reduction in severe COVID-19 or death compared to placebo in non-hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19, AstraZeneca reported on Monday.

A dose of 600mg of AZD7442 given by intramuscular (IM) injection reduced the risk of developing severe COVID-19 or death (from any cause) by 50 per cent, compared to placebo in outpatients who had been symptomatic for seven days or less.

“With continued cases of serious COVID-19 infections across the globe, there is a significant need for new therapies like AZD7442 that can be used to protect vulnerable populations from getting COVID-19 and can also help prevent progression to severe disease,” said Hugh Montgomery, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, and TACKLE principal investigator.

“These positive results show that a convenient intramuscular dose of AZD7442 could play an important role in helping combat this devastating pandemic,” he said.