March 29, 2021 -- A phase II clinical trial collaboration among Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, and Vir Biotechnology has shown that a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is effective for treating COVID-19 disease.
The pairing consists of Eli Lilly's LY-CoV555 (bamlanivimab) and Vir Biotechnology's VIR-7831 and produced a 70% reduction in viral load in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 at day seven after beginning treatment compared to a placebo. The two monoclonal antibodies bind to different regions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, according to the three firms.
Bamlanivimab has not yet been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, although it does have an emergency use authorization (EUA), the three companies said. VIR-7831 has also not yet been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, although VIR has submitted an emergency use authorization (EUA) application to the agency.