Antibody Injection Cuts Severe COVID-19 Risk: AstraZeneca Study

The British-Swedish biopharmaceutical major said its TACKLE Phase III COVID-19 treatment trial for AZD7442 had shown that the treatment met the "primary endpoint".

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.

The British-Swedish biopharmaceutical major said its TACKLE Phase III COVID-19 treatment trial for AZD7442 had shown that the treatment met the "primary endpoint".

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.