Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s antibody cocktail reduced the risk of death by 20% among hospitalized COVID-19 patients who don’t have a natural antibody response of their own, according to a large study by University of Oxford researchers.
The results suggest there would be six fewer deaths over 28 days for every 100 patients given the company’s casirivimab and imdevimab combination of monoclonal antibodies. Patients who got the cocktail also spent four fewer days in the hospital on average, and had less of a need for a ventilator.
The combined therapy is already authorized in the U.S. for treating COVID-19 outpatients at risk of developing severe symptoms. The data reported Wednesday will be used to seek expanded emergency use for the drug cocktail for this large subset of hospitalized patients, Regeneron said in an email.