In a recent study at the University of Virginia, researchers found that an antibody cocktail was able to block 100% of symptomatic COVID-19 infections among people exposed to the virus.
In addition, those who developed asymptomatic infections accumulated far fewer virus in their bodies than usual and saw their infections resolve within a week.
One researcher of the study is UVA Health’s Dr. William Petri Jr.
In the study, the team looked at outcomes in more than 400 trial participants. Of 186 people who received the antibodies, none developed symptomatic COVID-19.
Of the 223 who received a placebo, eight developed symptomatic COVID-19.
Asymptomatic infections occurred in 15 of the antibody recipients and in 23 of the placebo recipients.
Overall rates of infection, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, were approximately 50% lower in the antibody group.
Among those who developed infections, placebo recipients had, on average, a peak viral load (the amount of virus in the body) that was more than 100 times greater than antibody recipients.
The antibody group also recovered more quickly—all the infections resolved within seven days, while 40% of infections in the placebo group lasted three to four weeks.
The cocktail also appears to shorten the duration of viral shedding, the time when the virus is being manufactured in the body.
The viral shedding period was nine weeks among antibody recipients and 44 weeks among the placebo recipients.
In addition, there were more adverse events reported among placebo recipients than among antibody recipients—18% and 12%, respectively.
Phase 3 clinical trials will examine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and treatments in large numbers of people.
Positive results could spur the federal Food and Drug Administration to make the antibody cocktail available for post-exposure COVID-19 prevention.
If you care about COVID-19, please read studies about people with this health problem three times more likely to die in COVID-19 and findings of two-thirds of COVID-19 hospitalizations are due to these 4 health problems.
For more information about COVID-19 treatment and prevention, please see recent studies about people with this bone problem twice as likely to die if they have COVID-19 and results of COVID-19 vaccinations: What you need to know about the second dose.
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