Research center running two clinical trials testing the combined LAAB treatment: UCLH (Representational)
London:
Scientists in the UK have started testing treatments with innovative antibiotic drugs that they hope can provide instant protection against COVID-19.
The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH) said researchers in the Storm Chase study believe that a long-acting Antibody (LAAB) known as AZD7442, developed by AstraZeneca, can offer immediate and long-term protection to people who have recently been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and prevent them from developing COVID-19.
The study, led by UCLH virologist Dr. Catherine Houlihan, recruited the world’s first participant for the study earlier this month and has recruited 10 participants since then.
“We know that this combination of antibodies can neutralize the virus, so we hope to find that giving this treatment via injection can lead to immediate protection against the development of COVID-19 in people who have been exposed – when it would be too late to offer a vaccine,” he said. Houlihan.
UCLH said its new vaccine research center is conducting two clinical trials testing a combined LAAB treatment for protection against COVID-19.
The second Provent study is looking at the use of AZD7442 in people who may not respond to vaccination, for example, when someone has a compromised immune system or is at an increased risk of COVID-19 infection due to factors such as age and existing conditions.
“We will be recruiting people who are older or on long-term treatment and who have conditions like cancer and HIV that can affect their immune system’s ability to respond to a vaccine.
“We want to reassure anyone for whom a vaccine may not work that we can offer an alternative that is so protective,” said Dr. Nicky Longley, an infectious disease consultant at UCLH who led the Provent study.
Antibodies are protein molecules that the body produces to help fight infections. Monoclonal antibodies are artificially produced in a laboratory and designed as possible medical treatments. They are designed to be injected directly into the body, unlike vaccines that “train” the immune system itself to produce antibodies.
“These two clinical trials are an important addition to testing new therapeutic approaches, as antibody treatments may offer an alternative for groups of patients who cannot benefit from a vaccine, such as immunocompromised patients,” said Professor Stephen Powis, director doctor of the National Health Service (NHS) England.
LAABs were designed with AstraZeneca’s “proprietary” half-life extension technology to increase the durability of therapy for six to 12 months after a single administration. The combination of two LAABs was also designed to reduce the risk of resistance developed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.
“AZD7442 has the potential to be an important preventive and therapeutic drug against COVID-19, focusing on the most vulnerable patients. This work complements our vaccine development program,” said Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President of AztraZeneca for Research and Development of Biopharmaceuticals.
“Storm Chaser is exploring the use of a combination of monoclonal antibodies administered intramuscularly in people who have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 – an environment where vaccination would not have time to work and we have no other proven therapies to date. Storm Chaser is an important study that can have a major impact on our ability to control this infection, “noted Professor Andrew Ustianowski, who is the lead investigator for the new studies.
UCLH said that in both Provent and Storm Chaser, researchers will assess whether the treatment reduces the risk of developing COVID-19 and / or reduces the severity of the infection compared to placebo.
The main groups of participants in the Storm Chaser study will include healthcare workers, students living in group accommodations and patients exposed to anyone with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as residents of long-term care facilities and industrial environments / military.
Both tests are taking place at the newly created UCLH Vaccine Research Center, opened this month to help accelerate the development of new vaccines and treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Both Storm Chaser and Provent are crucial to finding a solution to this pandemic,” said Professor Vincenzo Libri, who heads the UCLH Clinical Research Center supported by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
“The inauguration of our new Vaccine Research Center will help to boost our fight against the virus, fulfill our aspiration to save as many lives as possible and ensure a return to normality,” he said.
“Recent progress in vaccines is extremely welcome and the development of these additional treatments will be vital to ensure that everyone in society can receive protection against COVID-19,” said Professor Marcel Levi, executive director of UCLH.