Covid-19 patients with high risk of hospitalization or those who suffer from severe diseases must be given a combination of two antibody treatments, according to the guidelines for the latest World Health Organization published in BMJ on Friday.
The WHO Guidelines Development Group Panel (GDG) recommends treatment that combines Casarivimab and IMdevimab for two groups of certain patients with Covid-19.
The first is a patient with Covid-19 who is not severely at risk of being hospitalized and the second is that has severe or critical Covid-19 which is seronegative, which means they have not posted their own antibody response to Covid-19.
The first recommendation is based on new evidence of three experiments that have not been reviewed.
Experiments show that Casarivimab and IMdevimab can reduce the risk of hospitalization and the duration of symptoms in those at risk of the highest severe disease, such as patients who are not vaccinated, older, or immunosupress.
The second recommendation is based on data from other trials that show that both antibodies may reduce death and the need for mechanical ventilation in seronegative patients.
This study shows that treatment with Casarivimab and IMDevimab lead 49 less deaths per 1,000 in severe death and 87 less deaths in critical painful patients.
For all other Covid-19 patients, the benefits of this antibody treatment cannot be meaningful, the panel is recorded.
CasiringAvab and IMdevimab are monoclonal antibodies which when used together bind the SARS-COV-2 surge protein, neutralize the ability of the virus to infect cells.
Surge protein helps viruses to bind and infect human cells.
The panel recognizes some of the cost and resource implications associated with this treatment, which can make access to challenging low and medium-income countries.
For example, a quick serological test is needed to identify patients who meet severe illegal, treatment must be given intravenously using specialist equipment, and patients must be monitored for allergic reactions.
They also recognize the possibility that new variants can appear where Kasarivimab and IMDEVIMAB antibodies may have a reduced effect.
However, the panel said given the benefits of being demonstrated for patients, “Recommendations must provide stimulus to involve all possible mechanisms to increase global access to related interventions and testing.” The latest guidelines added to previous recommendations for the use of interleukin-6 receptor blockers and systemic corticosteroids for patients with severe or critical Covid-19.
The panel also recommends using the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine in patients with Covid-19 regardless of the severity of the disease.