COVID-19 antibody drugs not as effective against omicron variant, preliminary tests show

Regeneron and Lilly antibody drug cocktails reportedly lose effectiveness against the omicron variant

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This according to a WSJ report, with Regeneron saying that its COVID-19 antibody drug cocktail was found to lose effectiveness against omicron based on preliminary tests. Adding that perhaps there needs to be a modification if the new strain becomes widespread.

Meanwhile, separate testing of Eli Lilly & Co.’s antibody drug cocktail also revealed that it isn’t as effective against omicron, according to outside scientists. Lilly though is doing their own test on the matter and did not want to speculate on what the results will be.

It is tough to say how much of this can be compared to the efficacy of other drugs or vaccines since antibody therapies may not hold up well against omicron considering that the strain itself has mutations to the spike protein targeted by the antibody drugs above.

As such, it is best to be reminded that we’ll only know for sure in a few weeks’ time the level of threat being offered up by the omicron variant.