Recent studies in The New England Journal of Medicine 1,2 showed that monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 can help prevent hospitalization and severe disease. As COVID-19 continues to spread and hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed, the need for treatments has soared. Tackling the virus in the early days following diagnosis can benefit patients and help ease the burden on the health care system and at-capacity hospitals.
While COVID-19 vaccine distribution is ramping up, it may be several months before vaccines are widely available and while highly effective, vaccines do not offer 100% protection from the virus. In addition, according to a recent Gallup poll, nearly 35 percent of the U.S. population is uncomfortable with receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
It’s important to ensure high-risk individuals and their families and caregivers are aware of available treatments that may help them take control should they test positive for COVID-19. If given within 10 days of symptoms appearing, antibody treatments can decrease the risk of hospitalization and/or disease progression in appropriate patients, so it is important to have conversations early.
COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments help your body quickly mount a defense if infected with the virus, differing from COVID-19 vaccines which require more time to stimulate the immune system. There are multiple monoclonal antibodies authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for patients 12 and older with recently diagnosed COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease. These authorizations are temporary and do not replace the formal review and approval process. Antibody treatments remain investigational and have not been approved under Biologics License Applications.
To locate an infusion site, patients and physicians can visit covid.infusioncenter.org to find a potential treatment location in their area. To learn more about antibody treatments from Eli Lilly and Company visit lilly.com/covidresources.
Janelle Sabo, Global Therapeutics Platform Leader at Eli Lilly & Company, and patient who has received an antibody treatment for COVID-19 will be available Thursday, March 11 to discuss the importance of having a plan of action, how to take control if a high-risk individual tests positive for COVID-19 and share a patient’s experience with receiving treatment.
when you book a window, we’ll provide guest bio, suggested questions & assets/b-roll. Interview courtesy: Eli Lilly & Company.
