Eli Lilly Antibody Treatment Fails to Work on Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

By Dana Cruz Oct 29 2020, 08:20 AM EDT

Eli Lilly admitted Monday that its antibody treatment for COVID-19 was ineffective for hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19.

In an Associated Press report, government officials said the Eli Lilly antibody treatment meant to help COVID-19 patients did not actually appear to be helping.

The drug maker noted that a government-sponsored antibody treatment trial will no longer administer the drug to new participants.

Eli Lilly added that other treatment trials will continue for those who are not as sick or have been exposed to COVID-19.

In continuing the other trials, the company is hopeful that the treatment will work if given early in the course of the disease.

The company further noted that its own studies on the drugs developed with the Canadian company AbCellera will continue.

Eli Lilly Filed for Emergency Use Approval

Earlier this month, Latin Post reported that Eli Lilly sought emergency use for the drug.

At the time, they claimed that the drug could reduce virus levels, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 cases.

The drug also reported minimal "isolated drug-relation infusion reactions or hypersensitivity" and did not show adverse side effects.

Two weeks ago, the enrollment for the study was halted due to possible safety issues. On Monday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said it found no safety problem. But it also found that the drug proved to have low chances of helping hospitalized patients.

Officials said scientific experts found that a group of patients, who received antibodies, showed different "clinical status" after five days compared to those who received a saline placebo.

The difference in status crossed a predetermined threshold for safety, reported New York Times. Eli Lilly recognized the recommendation to stop the antibody treatment, called bamlanivimab.

The firm said it was based on data suggesting it was "unlikely to help hospitalized COVID-19 patients recover from this advanced stage of their disease." But the company added that the difference in safety outcomes between the two trial groups were "not significant."

Dr. Eric Topol, a clinical trial expert from the Scripps Research Institute said the news clearly pointed to a halt "due to futility, as suspected."

Topol added that given the data, the early timing of administering monoclonal antibody will be important in addressing COVID-19 patients.

With the new developments, one of the most promising treatments against COVID-19 faced with a setback.

Government Officials Received Antibody Treatment

Former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie said he received an experimental antibody treatment after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 early this month.

President Donald Trump also received similar treatment after his COVID-19 diagnosis. Regeneron made his treatment.

Regeneron also applied for an emergency use approval for the treatment of outpatients.When infection occurs, the human body produces these proteins called antibodies. These proteins attach themselves to the virus and help in eliminating the foreign entities.

Experimental drugs that are going through trials now are concentrated versions of one or two specific antibodies. These treatments showed promise in fighting the coronavirus during lab and animal tests.