Covid-targeted monoclonal antibodies - it's all about the timing

[bennevisplace]

Covid-targeted monoclonal antibodies are a ray of hope for CLL patients and other immune-compromised folk who have a weak or unknown response to vaccine.

But recent trial results in treating hospitalised (i.e. already sick) patients have been underwhelming investor.regeneron.com/news... and markets.ft.com/data/announc...

Regeneron and GSK-Vir had more convincing results in preventing hospitalisation and worse investor.regeneron.com/inde... and gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-r...

Regeneron's 2069 trial showing preventative benefit in household contacts of infected individuals clinicaltrialsarena.com/new...

Previous scientific reviews of the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody therapy have suggested that as a treatment they are more effective if given at an early stage of an infection, i.e. they can prevent severe symptoms. A new study confirms that is the case.

"A newly published study by the University of South Florida Health (USF Health) and Tampa General Hospital (TGH) shows that monoclonal antibodies (MABs) work well in reducing COVID-19 related emergency department visits and hospitalizations when given early to high-risk patients". eurekalert.org/pub_releases...

While three such Covid-targeted monoclonals have been given Emergency Use Authorisation in the USA, immune-compromised patients in the UK are still waiting to see which if any are submitted for regulatory approval. For prophylactic use (so-called passive immunisation) we await the outcome of Astrazeneca's PROVENT trial, now in its latter stages clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...

[annmcgowan]

Hi this is a very interesting and informative post. I have just approached my MP about this issue. Would you mind if I forwarded this post to her for background evidence for the need for CLL patients lack of immunity to covid here in the U.K.?

[bennevisplace in reply to annmcgowan]

No of course, you go ahead. You might also refer to this useful guide from Blood Cancer UK bloodcancer.org.uk/support-... Scroll down for a summary of findings of each major study on vaccine efficacy in CLL/ blood cancer patients.

Let us know what transpires!

[annmcgowan in reply to bennevisplace]

Thank you will do. Ann

[kensim9]

Not the best source but interesting reading-

expressandstar.com/news/uk-...

Only improved after Regeneron!

[bennevisplace in reply to kensim9]

It is interesting. I have read of similar long-haul Covid cases in immunocompromised patients. Not all survived. Amazing as it is that this one was apparently saved by getting REGEN-COV2 at such a late stage, the patient is exceptional and the case even more so. medrxiv.org/content/10.1101... highlights the viral mutations that evolved in this patient, something seen in other persistently infected immunocompromised patients.

[kensim9]

Wow, some big words in these documents😁, shows us CLL's need education more than treatment!

I wonder how many GP's given their current workload, can keep up to date with this constant flow of research and data.

In many ways being our own advocate seems the only way forward. That & remembering what we read about I! Thank goodness got Google Keep! cut & paste relevant data into follow up note.

Keep well (& masked)