Game changer cocktail therapy begins in Nellore district

Nellore: The game changer Covid treatment, monoclonal antibodies cocktail therapy, has started in the district and the authorities provided these injections to more than 10 persons till now.

The results are encouraging and the private hospitals also provide these shots to the infected with vulnerabilities. Combination of casirivimab and imdevimab is the drug given in a single dose through intravenous procedure.

Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system and there are four different ways they can be made.

They are used to treat many diseases, including some types of cancer, now Covid-19. These monoclonal antibodies gained public attention in October 2020 when former US President Donald Trump had received the experimental Regeneron antibody treatment.

In fact, high risk patients with a body mass index ≥35, have chronic kidney disease of 27, have diabetes, currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment, are not less than 65 years of age, have cardiovascular disease or hypertension, and a patient with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic respiratory disease are eligible to get the cocktail injection.

The authorised dosage is 1,200 mg of casirivimab and 1,200 mg of imdevimab administered together as a single intravenous infusion as soon as possible after positive viral test for Covid-19 and within 10 days of symptom onset, medical experts say.

But, now, medical professionals are administering the drug in case patients are hospitalised due to Covid-19, or who require oxygen therapy due to the infection, or on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-Covid-19 related co-morbidity. Still, the new regimen is being offered for protecting the lives of the people. The medication is costly and the patients have to bear each dose at Rs59,750 and the multi-dose pack of two at Rs 1,19,500.

"The game changer therapy has started in the district on a very promising note. Ten people have been treated and the results are very good. We are planning to increase the number based on the requirement and criteria for administering it," informed Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu.

Some corporate hospitals in the city also started administering them charging at Rs 60,000 per dose which is sufficient. Popular physician Dr CV Subrahmanyam said the monoclonal antibodies cocktail therapy is the last resort in some cases and the results are good if the patient's condition is supportive. They should be given within a week or 10 days of symptom onset for expected efficacy, he added.