U.S. FDA authorizes AstraZeneca's COVID-19 antibody drug

Reuters

Published Dec 08, 2021 20:46

(Reuters) - The U.S. drugs regulator said on Wednesday it had authorized AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)'s antibody cocktail to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals who have weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines.

While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, AstraZeneca's therapy Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.