The use of monoclonal antibodies is considered one of the most promising treatments for fighting COVID-19, and Regeneron is one of the pioneering companies to test them.
According to specialists, they have the ability to be used as a fast-acting prophylactic drug in people exposed to the virus. Previously, Anthony Fauci, the US’s most recognized expert on viral diseases and leader of the White House team to fight the pandemic, had referred to this treatment as a possible “bridge to a vaccine.”
While there are no treatments approved by the World Health Organization for COVID-19, the health protocol of this drug is one of the most promising candidates, according to US doctors.
Regeneron notes that initial results suggest that the level of effects of the virus in the body can be reduced and possibly hospital stays shortened when administered early in the infection. Its use was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What are monoclonal antibodies and why could they be an alternative to prevent COVID-19 while a vaccine is approved
The protocol explains that REGN-COV2 is an experimental therapy for COVID-19 whose initial results show that it can produce an improvement in the symptoms of an infected person. Regeneron notes that its treatment was designed “specifically” to slow the effects of the Coronavirus.
What are monoclonal antibodies?
A monoclonal antibody, also known as mAB, is a type of drug that can be used both to prevent infection and to treat it after the disease has developed. When the body detects the presence of an antigen such as the Coronavirus, the immune system produces proteins designed to neutralize the virus in order to prevent it from entering our cells and reproducing. Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic copies made in the laboratory from a clone of a specific antibody found in the blood of a recovered person.
