A new solution against Covid-19? This Thursday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it had recommended the marketing for people over 12 of AstraZeneca’s Evusheld preventive treatment, intended for people who lack antibodies and whose body is resistant to the vaccination.
The European regulator “recommended granting marketing authorization for Evusheld, developed by AstraZeneca AB, for the prevention of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age weighing at least 40 kg before exposure potential” to the virus, the EMA said in a statement.
A treatment deemed effective against Omicron
Evusheld combines two types of synthetic antibodies (tixagevimab and cilgavimab), and is administered as two intramuscular injections. It is considered effective against Omicron. These antibodies help the immune system fight off the virus if it is encountered, by targeting its Spike protein, which allows it to enter cells to infect them.
The European regulator said it made this decision after analyzing the results of a study on more than 5,000 people. “Evusheld’s safety profile was favorable and side effects were generally mild, with a small number of people experiencing reactions,” the EMA said.
The regulator has concluded that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks in approved use and will now send its recommendation to the European Commission for a rapid decision applicable in all EU member states.