The European Medicines Agency on Thursday authorized the use of AstraZeneca Plc’s AZN.L antibody drug for preventing COVID-19 infections in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age.
The treatment is meant for adults whose immune system is too weak to respond to vaccines and offers a new tool to ease the xjmtzywpandemic burden on healthcare systems. Infections in Europe are on a sharp rise again this month, with the adult vaccination rate stagnating at a little over 83 per cent.
- Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox
While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.
The recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is set to be confirmed swiftly by the European Commission, which has the final word on market access, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
In this Saturday, July 18, 2020 file photo a general view of AstraZeneca offices and the corporate logo in Cambridge, England. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
