麻豆影视

Skip to main content

European drugs regulator recommends AstraZeneca's COVID-19 drug

Share

The European Medicines Agency on Thursday recommended the use of AstraZeneca Plc's AZN.L antibody drug for preventing COVID-19 infections at a time the region faces an increase in cases and stagnation in adult vaccinations.

The EMA said the drug, Evusheld, should be used in adults and adolescents above the age of 12 who were not exposed to the virus.

In comparison, other antibody drugs made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc REGN.O, Eli Lilly and Co LLY.N, and partners GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L and Vir Biotechnology VIR.O have already been approved to treat COVID-19 patients.

Regeneron's antibody drug has been approved in Europe to also prevent COVID-19 infections.

AstraZeneca's COVID drug could be used for preventing infections in people whose immune system is too weak to respond to vaccines, helping ease the pandemic burden on healthcare systems.

While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.

Infections in Europe are on a sharp rise again this month, with the adult vaccination rate stagnating at a little over 83 per cent.

AstraZeneca said on Monday that Evusheld retained neutralizing activity against Omicron coronavirus variants, including the highly contagious BA.2 sub-variant, in an independent lab study.

The therapy was found to cut the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 77 per cent in trials, with protection lasting for at least six months. It has also been shown to prevent disease progression when given soon after infection. Read full story

Reuters reported on the EMA decision on Wednesday, which is expected to be swiftly followed by a confirmation by the European Commission.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

Stay Connected