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The UK has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning, but while the country has started to launch a vaccine to stop the disease from spreading, scientists have identified a mutant strain of virus that is 70 percent more transmissible than the original , leading the British to look for more effective ways to cure the infected.
British scientists are investigating a new antibody treatment that could give people “instant immunity” after being exposed to the new coronavirus, The Guardian reported on Friday.
According to the report, this drug would offer immediate long-term protection to patients when it was too late for a vaccine, potentially saving their lives. It can also be used as an emergency treatment to help reduce the spread of the virus.
“We know that this combination of antibodies can neutralize the virus, so we hope to find that giving this treatment by 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. Dr. Catherine Houlihan, a virologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH), who is conducting a study called Storm Chaser on the drug.
At least ten people have already been injected with the new antibody cocktail, called AZD7442, with trial participants receiving two consecutive doses of the drug. The researchers hope the treatment will provide protection against COVID-19 for a period of six months to a year.
In addition, UCLH scientists began a second clinical trial called Provent to explore the use of the antibody combination for patients with compromised immune systems or those at increased risk of contracting the infection, such as the elderly. The main groups in this trial include health professionals, home residents and students living in dormitories.
The drug was created by UCLH and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The latter has developed its own vaccine in cooperation with the University of Oxford, which the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency is expected to be approved for use in the UK next week.
“The advantage of this medication is that it provides immediate antibodies,” said Houlihan. “We could tell the trial participants that they were exposed: yes, you can get the vaccine. But we wouldn’t be telling them that it would protect them from the disease, because it’s too late [because the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines do not confer full immunity for around a month]”, Added Houlihan.
Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the new treatment could save thousands of lives.
“If you are dealing with outbreaks in settings such as nursing homes, or if you have patients who are particularly at risk for serious Covid, such as the elderly, this can save many lives. As long as it is confirmed in phase 3 tests, it can play a role. great role in keeping alive people who would otherwise die. So it must be a big deal, “he said.
New variant of COVID identified in Great Britain
The news of a potential “miracle” drug comes after a new coronavirus strain has been detected in the UK. The new coronavirus variant has led UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce another blockade for the southern part of England, ruining many people’s Christmas plans.
UK health officials fear that this new variant has become prevalent across the UK. The new strain is believed to be responsible for 50% of infections across the country.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, Britain has 2,227,947 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 39,036 new cases in the last 24 hours. The death toll is 70,302.