AstraZeneca Covid antibody combination meets primary endpoint

AstraZeneca said on Friday that an antibody combination modified to potentially provide long-lasting protection against Covid-19 has met its primary endpoint in a trial.

The pharmaceuticals company said that AZD7442, a combination of two long-acting antibodies, reduced the risk of developing symptomatic Covid-19 by 77% compared to placebo. The trial accrued 25 cases of symptomatic Covid-19 at the primary analysis.

There were no cases of severe Covid or related deaths in those treated with AZD7442. In the placebo arm, there were three cases of severe Covid, including two deaths.

AstraZeneca said AZD7442 is the first antibody combination modified to potentially provide long-lasting protection that has demonstrated prevention of Covid-19 in a clinical trial.

Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: "We need additional approaches for individuals who are not adequately protected by Covid-19 vaccines. We are very encouraged by these efficacy and safety data in high-risk people, showing our long-acting antibody combination has the potential to protect from symptomatic and severe disease, alongside vaccines.

"We look forward to sharing further data from the AZD7442 Phase III clinical trial programme later this year."

AZD7442 - a combination of long-acting antibodies tixagevimab and cilgavimab - was discovered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and licensed to AstraZeneca in June 2020.