According to one study, REGN-COV2 can reduce the amount of coronaviruses in the blood. The European Medicines Agency is now examining the use of the drug.
Amsterdam (dpa) – The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started testing a new corona drug that Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) recently bought for Germany.
The EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use is investigating REGN-COV2, a combination of two antibodies, the agency said.
The drug, which was jointly developed by the US manufacturer Regeneron and the Swiss company Hoffman-La Roche, is said to have been used last year to treat the Covid infection of the then US President Donald Trump.
According to the EMA, the effectiveness test is carried out as part of a so-called rolling review process. Experts evaluate data from studies, even if these tests have not yet been completed and no application for approval has yet been submitted. The approval process can be shortened in this way.
According to the EMA, a study suggests the drug may reduce the amount of coronaviruses present in the blood. But it is still too early to draw conclusions about the relationship between benefits and risks. In the USA, REGN-COV2 has an emergency approval from the FDA. It is still open whether the EMA will recommend approval for Europe to the EU Commission.
Health Minister Spahn announced the purchase of 200,000 doses of two antibody drugs for corona treatment for around 400 million euros at the end of January. They are to be used initially in university clinics for high-risk patients in the early phase.
In addition to REGN-COV2, the ministry ordered a drug from the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which also contains so-called monoclonal antibodies. They are made in the laboratory and should be able to put the virus out of action after an infection.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210201-99-260292 / 2
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