Xav-19, a treatment against covid-19, is effective against the Omicron variant, announces the Nantes biotech Xenothera. This polyclonal antibody, in clinical trial in Europe, is intended for patients with moderate Covid-19.
“The analyzes carried out demonstrate that XAV-19, already active on the previous variants, has the capacity to block Omicron”, announces in a press release the Nantes start-up Xenothera, which has developed this treatment.
Xav-19 is a polyclonal antibody intended for patients with moderate covid-19. The expected objective of this drug is to reduce the rate of respiratory worsening, block the passage into severe form and prevent transfer to intensive care. It is currently the subject of a clinical trial in Europe and has not yet obtained authorization.
“We have known since last week that the monoclonal antibodies currently used as treatment lose their therapeutic activity on the Omicron variant. In this context, our results provide a glimmer of hope for combating this new variant”, explains Odile Duvaux, president of Xenothera.
“The loss of efficacy of monoclonal antibodies is not really a surprise. Since XAV-19 is a polyclonal antibody, its efficacy against variants is systematically probable, although it must always be verified and that is what we do. have just done “.
Polyclonal antibodies are less sensitive than monoclonal antibodies to mutations or individual variations in their target. They are an asset in the face of a virus which has the particularity of undergoing a lot of mutations.
Around ten research projects on polyclonal antibodies against Covid-19 are currently in development around the world. That of Xenothera is one of the most advanced, says the Nantes start-up, which regrets the authorization deadlines.
“Faced with the emergency health context, we are now calling on the government to ensure that our request for early access authorization for our treatment benefits from the conditions necessary for its completion”, claims Odile Duvaux.
“As we have been hammering for more than a year, vaccines and treatments are the two arms of the fight against the epidemic. We remain hopeful that the 25,000 doses of XAV-19 already manufactured and ready for the employment can benefit patients who need it as soon as possible, ”she concludes.
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