The UPMC said on Friday that it gave treatment to monoclonal antibodies to about 1,000 people, preventing death or even hospitalization by about 70 percent.
UPMC portrayed the results as a major breakthrough in the treatment of COVID-19 and which, together with the vaccine, can prevent a recurrence of COVID-19 outbreaks and high past mortality rates.
In addition, UPMC said treatment is available in 16 of its locations, including UPMC Pinnacle hospitals in the Harrisburg region.
“I would advise most patients to receive treatment with monoclonal antibodies if they qualify,” said Erin McCreary, an infectious disease pharmacist at UPMC.
McCreary said the UPMC plans to eventually detail its results in a peer-reviewed article. However, because the results represent “transformative” and “life-saving” development, the UPMC chose to release the results on Friday, she said.
Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is a single treatment administered intravenously. According to McCreary, it involves “copies” of antibodies that search for the COVID-19 virus and prevent it from infecting cells and reproducing.
“Basically, we are giving your immune system an advantage over the virus before it takes over and wreaks havoc,” she said.
McCreary said the side effects were minimal, and she does not know of any UPMC patients who had to be hospitalized because of the reaction to treatment. Three versions of treatment with monoclonal antibodies are available under federal government emergency use approval.
UPMC doctors said the treatment was given to President Donald Trump in October, when Trump made a seemingly miraculous recovery after contracting COVID-19. UPMC had no role in Trump’s treatment.
UPMC said it found that the treatment works best if administered within 10 days of a positive COVID-19 test and, ideally, within four days after the onset of mild symptoms.
It is available to people at greater risk of becoming seriously ill due to COVID-19, including people aged 65 and over and younger patients who are obese or have conditions such as diabetes or heart, lung or kidney disease.
About a third of UPMC COVID-19 patients are qualified. However, UPMC doctors said on Friday that they would advocate expanding eligibility.
They also said they are surprised that treatment with monoclonal antibodies is not being used more widely. In fact, they said, because of expanded demand, they developed a lottery system to determine who would receive it, to ensure that people did not use favorable status and connections to obtain it. They didn’t have to use the lottery.
They asked people with symptoms of COVID-19 to ask their doctors about how to get treatment.
They said the costs are covered by the federal government or private insurance and the cost should not be a barrier for anyone.
They also said that treatment with monoclonal antibody is being adjusted to involve more than one antibody. The UPMC is studying the revised versions to determine whether they are more effective against the variant strains of COVID-19, which were not present when the original version was developed.
UPMC doctors said the treatment is available in UPMC emergency rooms and can also be administered in nursing homes or even someone’s home.
After Trump tested positive and started feeling seriously ill on a Friday in October, he received monoclonal antibody therapy at the White House before being taken to the hospital by helicopter. At some point, his blood oxygen level dropped to the point where he received supplemental oxygen.
At the hospital, he also received an antiviral medication and a steroid. After being taken to the hospital on a Friday, he left the following Monday.