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Join Date: May 2014
Location: SF Bay Area
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Originally Posted by jyl View Post
You're asking is there a treatment suitable to give someone who's been diagnosed with Covid but whose symptoms are just starting and mild (not hospitalized, not on supplemental oxygen)?

AFAIK, right now the only pharmaceutical treatment shown to be effective in that situation is Regeneron's antibody cocktail REGN-COV. See summary of phase 3 data https://investor.regeneron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/phase-3-trial-shows-regen-covtm-casirivimab-imdevimab-antibody

"Effective" means that it substantially reduced the risk of hospitalization or death (by 70% or so), not that it is a silver bullet. I don't know of data for REGN-COV in the Delta variant but I think it is likely to retain effectiveness there as well. Lilly's antibody drug was withdrawn because it isn't effective against some variants. New antibody cocktails are being developed.

REGN-COV is currently available under EUA as an infusion. It hasn't been used all that much (I think several million persons in the US have received it so far) because it isn't that practical to administer a 30-60 minute infusion to 66,000 new Covid patients persons per day. There are around 3,600 infusion centers in the US, very roughly 20 chairs/beds per, so do the math on how infusion capacity. It is even more limited because infusion is typically used for cancer patients, who you really don't want exposed to Covid patients. There are home infusion services but there manpower is the capacity limiting factor.

Of course, if you're Donald Trump, Chris Christie, or other VIP you'll get REGN-COV, and if you're assertive and educated patient able to advocate for yourself, you can likely get it, especially if you're at higher risk.

REGN-COV is being developed in a subcutaneous administration form, which could really relieve the capacity limitations. Watch for that.
Old 07-30-2021, 11:18 AM
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