Vaccinations against the coronavirus may only be the first step in the global fight against the pandemic. Great hopes also lie in the development of a drug against the virus. Good news in this regard comes from AstraZeneca.
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US emergency approval applied for
AstraZeneca is now applying to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval of a newly developed drug against the coronavirus.
The drug is not to be used to treat COVID-19, but for antibody prevention. If approved, it would be the first COVID drug of its kind in the world.
Study shows strong efficacy
In August, AstraZeneca had already caused a stir with positive study results. According to the study, the drug reduces the risk of developing a severe form of COVID by 77 per cent.
Especially for immunocompromised people, the drug could be a real hope, as AstraZeneca vice-president Mene Pangalos explains:
Vulnerable groups of people, for example immunocompromised individuals, often do not show sufficient immune response after vaccination and therefore remain at risk of being exposed to a severe Covid course.
Supplement to vaccinations
The drug is not intended to replace COVID vaccine. However, it could be a useful supplement. Pangalos further explains:
[With this drug] we are one step closer to protecting ourselves from Covid-19 beyond vaccination.
