Monoclonal antibody therapy prevents COVID-19: AIG Hospitals

In the world’s first published study, AIG Hospitals, along with the Asian Healthcare Foundation, CCMB Hyderabad and Institute of Life Sciences, proved that the monoclonal therapy reduces severe disease and death in high-risk individuals infected with the Delta variant of SARS CoV 2 by 100 per cent, a statement from AIG Hospitals said.

A study by AIG Hospitals was conducted on 285 high-risk individuals and published in the International Journal of Internal Medicine, the statement notified.

“The results are astonishing and will shape the public health policy for treatment of COVID-19, especially in high-risk individuals, those above the age of 60 or even below 60 but with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, pregnant woman, people with chronic diseases, all will benefit immensely. We have clearly demonstrated in our research that when given at the right time, monoclonal therapy stops the progression of the disease completely,” said Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals.

The key highlights from the study are as follows:

• More than 98 per cent samples tested were identified as the Delta variant.
• Seventy five per cent patients who got the monoclonal therapy became RT-PCR-negative by seventh day.
• Seventy eight per cent patients got relieved of their clinical symptoms like fever, cough, etc. by the seventh day.
• None of the study participants developed severe disease or died.
• There was no increase in inflammatory markers in these patients which causes severe disease.
• On follow up, none of the patients reported any post-COVID symptom.
• The neutralising activity of the monoclonal therapy was similar in both the original Wuhan strain and the Delta strain.

There were three major scientific institutions involved to conduct this study. The AIG Hospitals and its research arm, the Asian Healthcare Foundation conceptualised, designed and funded the study. The patients were recruited from Fever Clinic and AIG Hospitals assessed samples for viral load before and after the therapy, calculated other important parameters like inflammatory markers, etc.

The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (a unit of CSIR) was involved in sequencing the genome of the virus strains collected to identify and confirm the Delta variant and the Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad tested the neutralising activity of the cocktail against the Delta variant in their lab.

“If we look at the cost of hospitalisation due to COVID in India, along with the number of people living with diabetes, hypertension etc., the cost factor of the monoclonal therapy is quite considerate given the fact that now we know it prevents deaths and severe disease by 100 per cent,” Dr Reddy further added.

“We are now studying the effectiveness of this drug cocktail among hospitalised patients and also exploring the possible use of this therapy as a prophylaxis (preventive),” Dr Reddy said.