Research into Covid-19 antibody therapy gaining ground - report

Antibody therapy for Covid-19 may be available by the autumn, according to a report on biotechnology firms carrying out research.

Antibody drugs are specifically designed to disable a virus, and are being developed to tackle Covid-19 by a range of universities and leading drug companies, including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and AbCellera Biologics. Most are looking to start human trials by the end of the summer.

But according to Bloomberg, US biotech Regeneron Pharmaceuticals expects to move faster than its rivals and could have a product ready by autumn.

Regeneron said in March it was looking to develop a novel multi-antibody cocktail that could be used either as a treatment for Covid-19 in or a prophylaxis before exposure. It told investors that it had isolated antibodies from humans who have recovered from Covid-19 as well as other human antibodies from its specially-bred, genetically-modified mice.

It has since narrowed the list of potentially useful antibodies, and last week George Yancopoulos, Regeneron’s co-founder and chief scientist, said in an update about a separate Ebola treatment the firm is working on: “Regeneron is now applying the same approach to develop an antibody medicine that can potentially prevent and treat Covid-19, within initial clinical trials expected to begin in June.”

In an article published on Monday, Yancopoulos told Bloomberg: “Our technology lets us go in months where it takes others years.”

He also told the news agency that Regneron’s manufacturing processes were speedier than rivals'. “If they have 10 products, they have 10 plants. We have one process for all our drugs. We’ve McDonaldlised the manufacturing process.” The firm is in the process of retooling one of its US plants to make Covid-19 antibodies, Bloomberg reported.

Most health authorities agree that a vaccine is required to end the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is unlikely one will be developed for another 12 to 18 months. Antibody therapy could be ready sooner, and could be used to ease lockdown restrictions while the search for a vaccine continues.

But there is currently no proof that patients who have recovered from Covid-19 are immune, and there is no guarantee that an antibody therapy would work.