In addition to the design and distribution of vaccines, several laboratories have been working for more than a year to develop an effective treatment without risk to health against Covid-19.
In August 2021, some of them announced major advances.
Where are they today?
The Ronapreve
This antiviral potential took a step towards its commercialization Monday, October 11, when the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that the Roche laboratory, which is developing it, had filed a marketing application in the European Union.
The EMA clarified that it “could issue an opinion within two months”.
In France, since the beginning of August, immunocompromised people can even benefit from an "early access authorization" to this serum.
Ronapreve, if authorized, can be given to both infected people and those so far spared, for prevention.
However, it has two drawbacks: its mode of administration, by injection, which requires hospital monitoring and its already high price, estimated at around 1,700 euros per dose.
Molnupiravir
Another news broke Monday, October 11, concerning Molnupiravir this time.
The American laboratory Merck, which develops it, has announced that it has filed an emergency authorization request in the United States with the country's health authorities.
Read also Anti-Covid treatments: "We can be confident about the first authorizations this fall"
More convenient than Ronapreve, it takes the form of a tablet to swallow after testing positive and is believed to reduce the risk of severe forms.
In early October, the pharmaceutical giant proudly announced promising results during a phase 3 clinical trial (the last before possible marketing) carried out on 775 patients with moderate Covid and having an aggravating risk factor.
The rate of hospitalization or death among those who received the drug was 7.3%, compared with 14.1% among those who received a placebo.
AZD7442
October 11th was definitely an important day for a large number of drug projects and AstraZeneca's candidate AZD7442 is one of them.
The British laboratory has published its positive results obtained after a phase 3 clinical trial. “Patients with symptoms of the disease for seven days or less who received a dose of AZD7442 saw a 50% reduction in the risk of contract a serious form or die, compared to those who received a placebo, ”the statement said.
This so-called "preventive" antiviral project, that is to say that can be injected into uncontaminated patients, could reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
AstraZeneca did not wait for the result of the test to advance in the race, the laboratory having already filed an application for authorization for the use of AZD7442 in the United States, with the authority American Drug Administration (FDA).
The XAV-19
It is certainly the most advanced French project.
The XAV-19, from the Nantes laboratory Xenothera was awaiting the transient results of its clinical trials at the end of September but will have to wait a little longer than expected.
"The Nantes University Hospital should finally provide them to us before March 2022", specifies the Parisian Odile Duvaux, president of Xenothera who nevertheless assures that "the preliminary information confirms its therapeutic interest and its benign nature".
Intended for patients with moderate Covid, this treatment aims to avoid their transfer to intensive care.
On July 8, 2021, Xenothera received the expedited scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
"The EMA has validated the approach presented by Xenothera, in particular the quality of the drug, the validity of the preclinical and toxicological analyzes, and the general approach of the clinical development plan for XAV-19", announced the biotech in a communicated.
A month earlier, the French state had already ordered 30,000 doses.
No news, however, of Tocilizumab from the Roche laboratory, still being evaluated by the EMA.
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