In a study from Mayo Clinic, scientists found that for high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 during the Omicron epoch, bebtelovimab seems to be a reliable treatment option.
They examined 3,607 high-risk patients to examine the effectiveness of bebtelovimab in real-world settings. A total of 2,833 patients received bebtelovimab and 774 received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir.
The researchers found that compared with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, bebtelovimab was used more often for the treatment of COVID-19 among older patients, immunosuppressed patients, and those with multiple comorbidities.
The rates of progression to severe disease by 30 days after treatment were not strongly different after bebtelovimab versus nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment (1.4 versus 1.2 percent).
The rate of admission to the intensive care unit was comparable between the groups (0.5 and 0.3 percent for those receiving bebtelovimab and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment, respectively).
The team says this study gives them confidence that bebtelovimab is reliable for the treatment of high-risk patients during this Omicron epoch and gives people another tool in the effort against COVID-19.
In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a new monoclonal antibody for the treatment of COVID-19 that retains activity against the omicron variant.
The EUA for bebtelovimab is for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms, which is about 88 pounds) with a positive COVID-19 test, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and for whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options approved or authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about the cause of long COVID symptoms, and how to reduce fatigue after COVID vaccination.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about drugs that can block multiple COVID-19 variants, and results showing aspirin, common anti-inflammatory drug may prevent COVID-19 deaths.
The study was conducted by Raymund R. Razonable et al and published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
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