Monoclonal antibody therapy prevents severe Covid-19 deaths: AIG Hospitals’ study

New Delhi: The Monoclonal Antibody drug cocktail gained global attention as a miracle cure for COVID-19 ever since it got administered on ex-US president Donald Trump, but the initial scientific evidence was not enough. There were a few studies that showed its effectiveness but no study across the world was done on the Delta variant of SARS CoV2.

In the world’s first published study in a peer reviewed, high impact journal, AIG Hospitals along with the Asian Healthcare Foundation, CCMB Hyderabad and Institute of Life Sciences, successfully 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 percent.

The Delta is the worst variant of the SARS CoV 2 with higher infectivity, is more transmissible, with diverse set of mutations than any other variant. In India, the second wave havoc was caused due to Delta. “The results are astonishing and will shape the public health policy for treatment of COVID-19 especially in high-risk individuals, those above 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.

Below are the key highlights from the study which was conducted on 285 patients:

• More than 98% samples tested were identified as the Delta Variant

• 75% Patients who got the Monoclonal Therapy became RT-PCR Negative by 7th Day

• 78% Patients got relieved of their clinical symptoms like fever, cough, etc. by 7th 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 neutralizing 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 conceptualized, designed, and funded the study. The patients were recruited from Fever Clinic at 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 neutralizing activity of the cocktail against the delta variant in their lab.

“If we look at the cost of hospitalization 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%,” Dr. Reddy further added.

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