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a new antibody treatment that could offer immediate protection to people after being exposed to the coronavirus is being tested in the UK.
As part of the Storm Chaser trial, researchers at University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH) are exploring the use of an antibody that has the potential to provide long-term protection to patients when too much late to offer a vaccine.
In a second clinical trial called Provent, scientists are looking at the use of an antibody for people who might not benefit from the vaccination, such as patients with weakened immune systems or those at increased risk of infection with Covid-19 due to age or existing conditions.
NHS England National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said: “The continued contribution of the NHS to global efforts to fight Covid-19 is remarkable.
“These two clinical trials are an important addition to test new therapeutic approaches, as antibody treatments may offer an alternative to groups of patients who cannot benefit from a vaccine, such as immunocompromised patients.
Ten people have already been injected into the Storm Chaser trial at UCLH’s new Vaccine Research Center.
Coronavirus infecting a cell – In pictures
Coronavirus infecting a cell
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An image captured and enhanced with color at the Integrated Research Center (IRF) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA and made available by the National Institutes of Health ( NIH) shows a colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow)
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The SARS-COV-2 virus begins the process of infecting the cytoplasm of the cell, inside which is the nucleus, which is responsible for storing the genetic material of the cell
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SARS-COV-2 virus particles after infection and viral replication inside the cell (white circle in the left corner)
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A series of dark spots, which are viral particles of the SARS-COV-2 virus, trying to infect the cytoplasm of the cell, inside which is the nucleus, which is responsible for storing the genetic material of the cell
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An arrow pointing to a new coronavirus particle attached to cell membranes, displaying its typical “corona” glycoprotein peak on the viral surface (published April 02, 2020), viewed in an electron microscope image, the first black and white portrait SARS-CoV2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease
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An image captured and enhanced with color at the Integrated Research Center (IRF) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA and made available by the National Institutes of Health ( NIH) shows a colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (purple) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow)
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The study entered phase three trials on December 2, with the aim of testing the new treatment on 1,125 people worldwide.
Primary groups in the trial include healthcare workers, students living in shared accommodation, and patients who have recently been exposed to someone with coronavirus, as well as those in long-term care, military and industrial personnel. like factory workers.
The antibody, known as AZD7442, was developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which also created a vaccine with the University of Oxford awaiting approval by the Medicines and Products Regulatory Agency. of health (MHRA).
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UCLH virologist Dr Catherine Houlihan, who leads the Storm Chaser trial, said: “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. ”
Meanwhile, the elderly and those in long-term care, as well as people with diseases such as cancer and HIV, will be recruited to participate in the Provent trial.
UCLH infectious disease consultant Dr Nicky Longley, who heads the university part of Provent, added: “We want to reassure anyone for whom a vaccine may not work that we can offer an alternative that is just as protective. .
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