First: Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi successfully administers Casirivimab and Imdevimab antibody cocktail to COVID patient

Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Sr. Consultant, Paediatric Gastroenterology Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, "We are glad to have launched a pan India program to make available this advanced treatment comprising of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies for our patients with COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies bind to and 'neutralize' the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We are confident that this treatment option will significantly boost our efforts to bring the pandemic under control and will help prevent progression of the disease in those with mild to moderate COVID-19".

Dr Rajesh Chawla, Senior Pulmonologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, said that "The reason why this therapy is termed as an Anti-body Cocktail is because it comprises a mixture of more than two biological drugs (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) that mirror the human antibodies in the immune system which consequently helps fight the infection, similar to the natural antibodies produced when one gets infected with COVID, both these antibodies also strengthen the immune defense system. This drug is said to restrict pathogens and virus from entering the patient's body, from where they otherwise would have derived nutrition and multiplied. This antibody cocktail will help prevent progression of the disease to a severe stage."

The antibody cocktail can be administered for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age or older, weighing at least 40 kg) who are confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease and/or hospitalization with at least one of the following criteria:

1. Obese with Body mass index (BMI) ≥35
2. Chronic kidney disease
3. Diabetes mellitus
4. Immunocompromising condition
5. Currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment
6. Aged ≥65 years
7. Aged ≥55 years and have:

CAD Cardiovascular disease, or HT Hypertension, or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or -some other chronic respiratory disease like ILD

The antibody cocktail is administered intravenously and will be administered in a specific area with well-trained healthcare staff taking into account all infection control protocols. The antibody cocktail must ideally be administered within 48-72 hours of patient testing positive for COVID-19 and before 7 days. This treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and fatality rate by 70% and 71% respectively and shortening the duration of symptoms by four days

In the first batch, 100,000 packs are now available in India potentially benefiting 200,000 patients, as each pack is used for two patients.