Coronavirus: The monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab - Effective on all three Homicron variants

Only one approved monoclonal antibody, bebtelovimab, has been shown to be effective in treating all three subtypes of the Omicron variant.

This, according to a new scientific study on monoclonal antibodies. Researchers from Columbia University in New York and Hong Kong, led by Professor David Ho, who published the article in the journal Nature, conducted laboratory experiments with 19 monoclonal antibodies. Of these, 17 (including sotrovimab) were found to be ineffective against the BA.2 subtype, also known as “Omicron 2.”

The only effective monoclonal antibody

The only effective antibody against the three known Omicron subtypes, BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2, was found to be bebtelovimab, which was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cilgavimab (alone or in combination with thixagevimab) was effective against Omicron 2, but not original Omicron (BA.1)

The new study also confirmed that the efficacy of mRNA vaccines is reduced compared to the three Homicron variants. However, the reduction in the neutralizing capacity of the vaccines is less if three doses of Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna have been taken.

“The emergence of new variants reduces our treatment options and challenges the efficacy of our existing vaccines. It is critical that we do not relax prematurely and continue to develop new strategies to curb this ever-evolving pathogen,” said Dr. Ho .

Omicron was first observed in November 2021. Since December, the incidence of the initial variant BA.1 has been gradually decreasing and that of BA.1.1, currently estimated at around 40% worldwide, is increasing gradually. The BA.2 subtype is responsible for only 10% of coronavirus infections worldwide, but its proportion is increasing and it is already prevalent in Denmark, South Africa and India. All three subtypes have 21 common mutations in their spike protein.

source: iefi merida