Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi have reported successful use of monoclonal antibody therapy in two Covid-19 patients with fast progression of symptoms within the first seven days. It was reported that both the patients were discharged after recovering within 12 hours.
The patients were administered with the REGCov2 (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) that is designed to produce resistance against the SARS-CoV-2 and both of them were recovered and discharged within 12 hours of being given the doses.
According to the press release of the hospital, a 36-year-old healthcare worker with high-grade fever, cough, myalgia, severe weakness, and leucopenia was administered REGCov2 on day six of the disease.
“Patient’s parameter improved within 12 hours and was discharged,” the release added.
Monoclonal antibodies are the type of identical copies of an antibody that aims one specific antigen. This is a treatment that has been previously used to treat infections like Ebola and HIV.
The second case was of the 80-year-old RK Razdan who was both diabetic and hypertensive and had high-grade fever and cough. Razdan’s oxygen saturation was more than 95% on room air. Monoclonal antibody and a CT scan confirmed mild disease.
The hospital said in a statement that, “A CT scan confirmed mild disease. He was given REGCov2 on day 5. The patient’s parameter improved within the next 12 hours.”
Dr. Pooja Khosla, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, SGRH, said in a statement that monoclonal antibody therapy could prove to be a game-changer if used at an appropriate time.
“Monoclonal antibody could prove to be a game-changer in times to come if used at an appropriate time. It can avoid hospitalization in high-risk groups and progression to severe disease. It can help to escape or to reduce the usage of steroids and immunomodulation which would further reduce the risk of fatal infections like Mucormycosis, secondary bacterial and viral infections like CMV,” she said.
“The awareness about early identification of high-risk category in our population and timely therapy with Monoclonal antibody as daycare treatment may reduce the burden of cost on the healthcare sector,” she added.
“Patients with these symptoms rapidly progress towards moderate to severe stage. In this case, high fever persisted for five days and the total leukocytes count dropped to 2,600. After we gave him monoclonal antibody therapy, his parameters improved within eight hours. The patient has been discharged,” she added.
As per studies, this “antibody cocktail treatment” for coronavirus can prevent case escalation from mild to moderate illness to severe, which then requires hospitalisation in 70% of the cases, according to doctors.
