"Today we are evaluating new monoclonals directed against protein S, the same used to induce antibody responses with vaccines, and capable of neutralizing the virus very effectively, blocking the infection and not just the disease. I believe that soon we will have a disposable, monoclonals that can be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly and in this case it will be possible to intervene at the patient's home, without clogging hospitals and emergency rooms ". This was explained by the president of the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) Giorgio Palù, during a hearing in the Constitutional Affairs Commission of the Senate.
"We resorted to the emergency use of monoclonal antibodies, drugs for people affected by the virus in the early stages of infections no later than the first 5 days from the onset of symptoms in February 2021". At the time, Palù added, "those of various companies were authorized and others are still being evaluated, but this use was limited by logistical inadequacy, because they require intravenous infusion for an hour and observation for an hour and this it almost always takes place in hospital ".
The Aifa president then underlined that "The Agency is currently also evaluating two specific antivirals. One is the oral antiviral molnupiravir and another is a protease inhibitor, for which we have just received the dossier".
"Obviously - he concluded - it will be important to study the dossier also because it has been seen that for one of them the effectiveness has decreased compared to the documents presented in the initial phase".
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