Data show that the Eli Lilly monoclonal anti-omicron drug works against the new BA.2 mutation.

U.S. health regulators approved Friday a new anti-inflammatory drug that targets the Omicron variant. This is a crucial step in replenishing the nation’s stock against Covid-19.

The Food and Drug Administration has cleared Eli Lilly’s drug for adults and adolescents with mild-to moderate cases of Covid-19. After testing revealed that the previous antibody therapy against the dominant omicron variant was ineffective, Lilly announced the start of the treatment in late 2013.

Biden’s administration purchased 600,000.000 doses of medication before authorization. They will now begin shipping the initial supplies to state health officials for distribution.
It is “an important step in meeting a need for more tools, treating patients as new variants continue to emerge,” Dr. Patricia Cavazzoni (FDA’s drug center director) said.

After the two most effective monoclonal antibodies treatments in the U.S. proved ineffective against omicron, the FDA announced the same. Data show that the Lilly drug is also effective against the new BA.2 mutation in omicron.

Lilly stated that the contract for its new drug bebtelovimab is worth at most $720 million.

Monoclonal monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made and act to block invading viruses. The medicines can be administered by IV or injection and are intended to be taken as soon as possible after an infection has occurred.

The FDA withdrew its emergency authorization for Regeneron’s anti-inflammatory drug and Lilly’s last month. These two drugs were the foundation of antibody treatment. Doctors struggled to find fallbacks for them when they failed to work against omicron.

Alternative therapies such as antiviral pills from Merck and Pfizer have been scarce. GlaxoSmithKline’s anti-omicron antibody drug is also in short supply.

Scientists claim that Covid-19 monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal vaccines are not an alternative to vaccination.

The U.S. contract with Lilly will see the government receive approximately 300,000 treatments of the new antibody drug in February, and 300,000 in March.