Sotrovimab: A COVID-19 Treatment Overview
What is Sotrovimab?
Sotrovimab is an antibody therapy developed to target the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This treatment is administered through an intravenous (IV) infusion and is provided in a single dose.
Mechanism of Action
Pre-clinical animal studies have demonstrated that sotrovimab effectively binds to and neutralizes the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By attaching to the spike protein, sotrovimab prevents the virus from interacting with the ACE2 receptor, thereby inhibiting its entry into human cells.
Clinical Trial Insights
In a clinical trial, patients who were unvaccinated and at high risk for severe complications from COVID-19 were randomly assigned to different treatment groups. The study involved 583 participants and revealed that treatment with sotrovimab significantly reduced the rates of hospitalization and death among those at risk of severe COVID-19.
Side Effects
Common side effects associated with sotrovimab treatment include infusion-related reactions. Patients may experience symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting.
Effectiveness Against Variants
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses and new variants emerge, there is growing concern regarding the efficacy of vaccines and treatments against the virus. Pre-clinical studies have confirmed that sotrovimab maintains its ability to bind to and neutralize various SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
References
– Sotrovimab for COVID-19. (2021). Australian Prescriber, 44(5), 175. https://doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2021.051
– Brobst B, Borger J. Benefits and Risks of Administering Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Coronavirus (COVID-19) [Updated 2021 Aug 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574507/
– Dolgin E. (2021). ‘Super-antibodies’ could curb COVID-19 and help avert future pandemics. Nature Biotechnology, 39(7), 783–785. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-00980-x