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[Windemere]

My husband Richard has CLL is on ibrutinib he has had 2 oxford and 1 pfizer jabs still no antibodies, would molnupiravir the new covid drug, would this drug help if he became infected with covid.

[bennevisplace]

Though your profile doesn't say, I'm going to assume you are in the UK.

Molnupiravir was approved in the UK on the strength of its 50% efficacy in a clinical trial. Now that the trial has finished that number has dropped to 30%. Paxlovid is another antiviral pill the UK government has purchased, and its approval is eagerly awaited because in trials it had a much higher efficacy, 89% dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...

Were your husband to get Covid he might be offered an antiviral, but with his suppressed immune system he should rather be offered the monoclonal antibody treatment Ronapreve.

All of the above meds need to be given within 5 days of onset of symptoms, though I believe they can still be considered up to 7 days after onset. It's essential to get confirmation of Covid with a PCR test. At first symptoms, get one done without delay.

[Jacksc06]

Hi. I am also on IB and have had the same jabs with the same result as Richard. I am banking on Ronapreve should the worst happen. Best wishes.

[LeoPa]

Is it possible to get both the mab cocktail and the pills?

[bennevisplace in reply to LeoPa]

Good question. I can't recall the treatment protocol covering it. According to covid19-druginteractions.or... there's no expected interaction between Lagevrio, Ronapreve and Xevudy, but with limited supplies I doubt that the delivery units will go with a pick'n'mix approach.

[Redlion]

Hi,

Just to say that whilst we are more at risk it is not necessarily the case that a Covid infection is as dire as many seem to believe. I am also on IB and recovered from a Covid infection without any pharmaceuticals other than paracetamol in the last few weeks. However as a part of the IB protocol I am also on aciclovir which is an anti viral, although I have no idea if it makes any difference for Covid.

Good luck.

[bennevisplace]

I should add that the government has purchased stocks of a second monoclonal antibody treatment, Xevudy (Sotrovimab), which was approved in the UK about 6 weeks ago.

It remains to be seen how these early stage treatments perform against the Omicron variant. I'm optimistic.

[Berrytog]

Hi, just to add, I am due for my fourth Pfizer jab shortly, organized by my trial team, perhaps you should consider this in addition to your cocktail of other drugs. I am also on aciclovar as well as many other unrelated drugs. However, I do maintain the normal precautions listed as well as keeping away from people. Those necessary to visit I insist wear full PPE and keep their distance. The only time I purposefully come into contact is my weekly shop done at an inconvenient but safer time of the day. Fortunately for me this Pandemic has not necessitated any meaningful change in my life save for an annual visit from my children and grandchildren at Christmas which I may cancel yet again.

[janvog in reply to Berrytog]

That's it ! Stay with the program !

[Kam73]

I can’t give you medical advice I will tell you my husband’s experience. He is stage 4 and on Ibrutinib. He had the first two vaccination but still contracted Covid. Seemed to be a mild case. 3 weeks later he was hospitalized with reactive Covid pneumonia. He was taken off the ibrutinib since it is a immune suppresser. Thankfully he recovered. He went back on Ibrutinib. Had an anti body test that showed negative anti bodies. He had the 3rd shot hoping it would help but then again tested negative for any anti bodies. He just had another antibody test and still negative. Some cancer patients will never reach anti body positive! At this point if he contracts Covid again he would try monoclonal treatment immediatley. We just hope and pray he stays healthy. His oncologist says the new pill treatment that is in trials looks hopeful. Time will tell.