EU authorizes two medicines for people at risk of severe COVID

By AP 11 November 2021, 8:15 pm

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Medical workers at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem treat patients in the hospital's coronavirus ward, on October 14, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

The European Medicines Agency recommends the authorization of two new medicines against the coronavirus for people at risk of severe disease.

In a statement, the EU drug regulator says it has concluded that the monoclonal antibody treatments — a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, and the drug regdanvimab — have both been proven to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in patients vulnerable to serious COVID-19.

The EMA describes the safety profile of both medicines as “favorable,” and says that despite a small number of side effects, “the medicines’ benefits are greater than their risks.”

The EMA says both regdanvimab and the casirivimab and imdevimab combination should be offered to people over the age of 12 who don’t yet require oxygen support, but are at risk of worsening COVID-19. It said the combination drug can also be used preventatively. Both drugs must be administered intravenously.