Send to Kindle
@Pixabay
The European Union's health regulator has expressed concern about the declining effectiveness of Covid-19 antibody therapies to treat patients as new variants of the virus challenge treatment approaches.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration have gone even further and withdrawn recommendations for some monoclonal antibodies on the grounds that Omicron and the latest branches of the variant may have rendered those options obsolete.
Monoclonal antibodies are designed to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus by binding to the spike protein on its surface, but the virus has evolved, causing changes in this protein that affect the way antibodies bind to it.
"Although it is not yet known to what extent the reduced neutralizing activity translates into reduced benefits for patients, healthcare professionals will need to consider alternative treatments, especially if subvariants such as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 become widespread," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said.
New branches of Omicron's dominant BA.5 subvariant, known as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, are among the more than 300 Omicron variant subvariants in circulation worldwide, 95% of which are direct descendants of BA.5. according to the WHO.
EMA's emergency task force said antiviral alternatives such as Pfizer's Paxlovid and Gilead's Remdesivir could be considered, saying they were expected to retain activity against the new strains.
AstraZeneca's Evusheld, Celltrion's Regkirona, Roche's Ronapreve and GSK-Vir's Xevudy are monoclonal antibodies approved in the EU for Covid-19.
The EMA added that it would consider any necessary updates to the labels of individual therapies.
Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook
Write to us at editors@novinite.com
Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg
/BGNES
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
A dire situation looms over European airspace as thousands of passenger planes, predominantly ferrying tourists, find themselves ensnared in a perilous web of Russian jamming attacks, leaving them disoriented and vulnerable mid-flight.
In a chilling revelation from the Netherlands, scientists have unveiled a startling case of a COVID-19 infection persisting for an unprecedented 613 days in an elderly patient, casting a shadow of concern over the potential emergence of more virulent vari
The Green Movement party has declared its intention to contest the upcoming June 9 European and national elections outside the framework of the We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (WCC-DB) coalition
Data from a recent global poll conducted by the world association "Gallup International" represent the diverse perceptions surrounding the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic
Speaking in Pleven, MEP Radan Kanev emphasized the advantages of Bulgaria's forthcoming entry into the Schengen area, particularly in bolstering efforts to combat smuggling along its borders
In a significant move toward Bulgaria's integration into the Eurozone, the European Commission (EC) has pledged support for the country's efforts to promote the adoption of the euro
In a recent interview with BTA, Associate Professor Angel Kunchev, the chief state health inspector, addressed the potential declaration of an epidemic of whooping cough and outlined the measures that would be taken in response
As Bulgaria grapples with a surge in whooping cough cases, Public Health experts offer insights into the situation, assuring the public about the severity of symptoms and emphasizing the importance of vaccination
A recent study conducted by the sociological agency "Global Metrics" on behalf of UNICEF Bulgaria and the Ministry of Health sheds light on the attitudes of Bulgarian parents towards vaccination
In response to a surge in whooping cough infections across the country, the Ministry of Health has announced a significant adjustment to the immunization schedule
In response to the alarming surge of whooping cough cases, the Health Commission has convened an extraordinary meeting to address the escalating situation
Professor Iva Hristova, Director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCCPD), has sounded the alarm on the stealthy danger posed by whooping cough, with mortality rates soaring to a chilling 2-4%
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022
