Roche and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have reported topline results from a Phase III trial of the REGEN-COV antibody cocktail in infected non-hospitalised Covid-19 patients. The study in high-risk non-hospitalised Covid patients met its primary endpoint showing that REGEN-COV (casirivimab with imdevimab) reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death by 70% (1,200mg) and 71% (2,400mg) respectively, compared to placebo.
Pfizer has commenced clinical trials for its oral, antiviral therapeutic to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The company is progressing to multiple ascending doses after completing single ascending doses in its Phase I study. The Phase I trial of the therapeutic candidate PF-07321332, a SARS-CoV2-3CL protease inhibitor, is taking place in the US. It has shown potent in vitro anti-viral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. Pfizer is also evaluating PF-07304814, an investigational protease inhibitor, currently in a Phase Ib multi-dose trial in hospitalised Covid-19 participants.
Preclinical data has demonstrated that Curevac’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, provides protection against the South African variant of the novel coronavirus, also called B.1.351. The data found that the vaccine protected against a strain of the original SARS-CoV-2 B1 lineage (BavPat1) in a transgenic mouse model. CVnCoV was seen to effectively block viral replication of B.1.351 in the lower respiratory tract and brain, and reduced viral replication in the upper respiratory tract of vaccinated and challenged animals.