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A12 HEALTH
Friday 9 OctOber 2020

Antibody drugs are no cure but seem promising for COVID-19

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE and expects 300,000 avail-
and MATTHEW PERRONE able within the next few
WASHINGTON (AP) — months. Under a $450 mil-
They're not cures and it's lion contract, the federal
not likely that everyone government has agreed
will be able to get them to buy initial supplies of Re-
as President Donald Trump generon's drug and distrib-
has suggested. But experi- ute them at no cost to U.S.
mental antibody drugs like patients. Lilly says it expects
the one Trump was given to have 1 million doses this
are among the most prom- year of the single antibody
ising therapies being tested that it submitted to FDA.
for treating and preventing However, the company's
coronavirus infections. research has focused on
Eli Lilly and Regeneron a combination of two an-
Pharmaceuticals Inc. are tibodies to treat COVID-19
asking the U.S. government patients. Lilly said it expects
to allow emergency use of to have just 50,000 doses of
their antibody drugs, which that combo this year.
aim to help the immune Q: What's the evidence that
system clear the virus. The they work?
medicines are still in testing; A: Lilly and Regeneron have
their safety and effective- revealed only partial re-
ness are not yet known. In this undated image from video provided by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Friday, Oct. 2, sults in news releases; they
2020, vials are inspected at the company's facilities in New York state, for efforts on an experimen-
Trump is among fewer than tal coronavirus antibody drug. Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; haven't been published
10 people who were able they attach to a virus and help the immune system eliminate it. or vetted by independent
to access the Regeneron Associated Press scientists. Lilly said Wednes-
one under "compassionate day that its two-antibody
use" rules, without enrolling A: Regeneron is using two available? ple to see if early treatment combo reduced symp-
in a study. antibodies to enhance A: Eli Lilly and Regeneron can lower the risk of be- toms, the amount of virus,
Q: How do they work? chances its therapy will have asked the Food and coming sick. Other studies hospitalizations and ER vis-
A: Antibodies are proteins work even if the virus Drug Administration for in hospitalized patients aim its for patients with mild or
the body makes when an evades one. The company emergency authorization. to prevent serious illness, moderate COVID-19. The
infection occurs; they at- made a successful Ebola During public health emer- complications or death. results are an interim look
tach to a virus and help it combo antibody treat- gencies the FDA can speed Researchers also are test- at a mid-stage study in
be eliminated. Vaccines ment this way. Lilly is test- drugs to market based on ing these drugs to try to which 112 people received
mimic an infection to spur ing two different antibodies a lower standard of evi- prevent infection in peo- the antibodies and 156 got
antibody production. But -- one with the Canadian dence than is normally re- ple at high risk of it, such a placebo. The amount of
it can take several weeks company AbCellera and quired. Drugmakers need as health workers, house- virus was significantly lower
after a vaccine or natural another with a Chinese only show that the expect- mates of people with CO- 11 days later in those given
infection for the most ef- company, Junshi Biosci- ed benefits of their thera- VID-19, and nursing home the drug -- the main goal
fective antibodies to form. ences — individually and in pies outweigh the risks for workers and residents. of the study. About 5.8%
The experimental drugs combination. Others test- treating COVID-19. There is Q: Will there be enough for of patients given placebo
are concentrated versions ing similar drugs are Glaxo- no deadline for the FDA to everyone? required hospitalization or
of specific antibodies that SmithKline and Vir Biotech- rule on the drugs, but it typi- A: It depends on how po- an emergency room visit
worked best against the nology Inc., which says it cally makes decisions on tent the drugs prove to be, versus 0.9% of those given
coronavirus in lab and ani- has engineered antibodies such emergency applica- something still being stud- the antibodies. Previously,
mal tests. In theory, they to last longer than they usu- tions within days or weeks. ied. If a high dose is need- Regeneron said its drug re-
start helping right away. ally do. Amgen, Adaptive Q: Who would get them? ed to be effective, it will duced the amount of virus
The one-time treatment is Biotechnologies and the A: Researchers are still try- mean that fewer people and symptoms in non-hos-
given through an IV — it's Singapore biotech com- ing to determine the best can be treated with limited pitalized patients. The par-
not like a pill that people pany Tychan Pte Ltd. also candidates for antibody supplies. Regeneron says it tial results came from the
can take at home. have studies underway. treatment. Some studies in- has enough doses for ap- first 275 patients enrolled in
Q: How do the drugs differ? Q: When might they be volve newly infected peo- proximately 50,000 patients ongoing studies.q

Am I immune to the coronavirus if I've already had it?

By The Associated Press how long New York City re- His second infection was fenses, and they naturally the coronavirus.
Am I immune to the coro- searchers found stable lev- detected through airport wane over time. And usu- It's not known whether peo-
navirus if I've already had els of protective antibodies testing, and researchers ally, "memory" immune ple who've been reinfect-
it? in a study of nearly 20,000 said genetic tests revealed cells can identify germs ed but show no symptoms
You have some immunity, patients of the Mount Sinai slightly different strains of they previously encoun- would be able to spread
but how much and for how Health System. the virus. tered so they're better at the virus to others. That's
long are big unanswered Reinfection so far has been It's actually evidence the fighting them the second why health authorities say
questions. rare. The best known exam- man's immune system time around. That can help even people who have
There's evidence that re- ple: Researchers in Hong worked like it should. Very make any repeat infections recovered from COVID-19
infection is unlikely for at Kong said a man had mild few diseases leave people less severe. need to wear a mask, keep
least three months even COVID-19 and then months completely immune for life. Scientists are studying how their distance and practice
for people who had a mild later was infected again Antibodies are only one the other parts of the im- good hygiene.q
case of COVID-19. That's but showed no symptoms. piece of the body's de- mune system kick in with