Monoclonal antibodies prevent severe disease and deaths in high-risk patients of COVID-19 Delta variant by 100%, finds study

Monoclonal Antibody therapy has been proven to be effective in reducing disease severity and chances of death in high-risk individuals infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 by 100 per cent, as per a study by AIG Hospitals.

As per an official statement by the AIG Hospitals, 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. The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) (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, the University of Hyderabad tested the neutralizing activity of the cocktail against the delta variant in their lab.

This study was done on 300 high-risk patients infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19. The high-risk patients include people above 60 years of age, people suffering from diseases like Diabetes, Kidney disease etc.

Dr. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospital said while talking to ANI, "As a part of the study, we recruited 300 patients of Delta variant. These patients were from the high-risk group, which has patients above 60, those suffering diabetes and kidney disease etc. Monoclonal antibodies were given to one group and the other group was given standard treatment. The group which had taken the monoclonal antibodies were cured of the virus within a week while some patients who got the standard treatment got seriously ill and were admitted to ICU. They also did not develop Post-COVID symptoms."

Reddy, however, advised that monoclonal antibodies should only be taken by the high-risk patients of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and termed the study as a 'landmark achievement'.

"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 women, 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, he added.

The neutralizing activity of the therapy was similar in both the Wuhan and Delta strains of COVID-19.

Reddy said that now the therapy is being studied for its effectiveness among hospitalised patients and possible use of this therapy as prophylaxis (preventive) is also being explored.

( With inputs from ANI )

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