Regeneron begins first clinical trials of antibody cocktail for treatment, prevention of COVID-19

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced on Thursday the start of the first clinical trial of its investigational dual antibody cocktail for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

It is called REGN-COV2.

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The program will cover four study areas: hospitalized COVID-19 patients, non-hospitalized symptomatic COVID-19 patients, uninfected people in groups that are at high-risk of exposure and uninfected people with close exposure to a COVID-19 patient.

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“We have created a unique anti-viral antibody cocktail with the potential both to prevent and treat infection, and also to preempt viral ‘escape,’ a critical precaution in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic,” said George D. Yancopoulos, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Regeneron. “REGN-COV2 could have a major impact on public health by slowing spread of the virus and providing a needed treatment for those already sick – and could be available much sooner than a vaccine."

The antibody cocktail approach may work better for elderly and immuno-compromised patients, who don't always respond well to vaccines, Yancopoulos added.

Regeneron scientists evaluated fully-human antibodies produced by the company’s mice, which have been genetically-modified to have a human immune system, in addition to antibodies isolated from people who have recovered from COVID-19.

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The company used the same cocktail approach to develop a triple antibody treatment for Ebola that is currently under regulatory review by the Food and Drug Administration.