Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN) says its COVID-19 antibody drug combination under development both prevented and treated the disease in rhesus macaques and hamsters, sparking hope that it might work for people.
The company says its REGN-COV2 cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies was able to “almost completely block establishment of virus infection” in the animal study and minimized infection in a second study in which animals were infected with a much higher level of the virus.
The lead researchers also say the animals did not show any signs of increased viral load or worsening of pathology after treatment, an important safety signal that suggests it will not worsen symptoms in humans.
Regeneron already has launched late-stage clinical trials in humans to assess the antibody treatment’s ability to prevent and treat COVID-19.