AstraZeneca made itself a household name with its COVID-19 vaccine. It recently applied for emergency approval of its AstraZeneca antibody injection too. This was after a trial of the AZD7442 medication showed significant reduction in symptoms. Now Sky.Com says there is further proof it prevents, and treats the infection. It’s amazing how many successful ideas keep pouring in nowadays!
The AstraZeneca Antibody Injection Has Two Ingredients
Sky.Com says the medication, AZD7442 comprises two antibodies. Moreover, data just in confirms these effectively prevent severe disease in non-hospitalized patients. That’s because the symptoms are only mild to moderate, it says. Especially when they compare it to the placebo control group.
A single dose of the AstraZeneca antibody injection in addition ‘reduced the risk of developing severe COVID-19 or death by 50%’. Again when compared to the placebo group. All subjects in the study had been symptomatic for a week or less when it began.
However, the trial only used a selected group of 903 people. Most of them had severe medical comorbidities, and faced a high risk of severe symptoms. But, there was no control group of low-risk patients limiting applicability.
Where to From Here with the AstraZeneca Medication
Hugh Montgomery is lead researcher, and professor of intensive care medicine at University College London. He told Sky.Com the injection could help vulnerable groups avoid contracting serious COVID-19 symptoms.
They might, for example be unable to have an approved vaccination, or have had a past adverse reaction. The antibody injection could therefore be a useful ally for part-protecting vulnerable people caught up in the pandemic. However, it is not a suitable replacement for an approved coronavirus vaccine, which triggers antibodies and more.
An earlier study of over 5,000 people found none having the AstraZeneca treatment fell seriously ill, or died. Although some 75% of them had health issues putting them at increased risk of severe disease. The research report claims the results represent ‘a 77% reduced risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19’. And for that alone they deserve our congratulations.
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