Explained | What is monoclonal antibody therapy?

Antibody treatments use artificially created copies of antibodies that the body’s immune system produces to fight the disease

The hunt for a reliable Covid-19 treatment is still on a year and half after the virus broke out and claimed millions of lives. Though global efforts have turned towards vaccinating their populations, most are still far from reaching a critical number of inoculations and stamping out the disease completely.

Monoclonal antibody therapies have been touted by some as a possible answer to the problem and have been in the news ever since former US President Donald Trump was treated with an antibody “cocktail”.

What's the science behind monoclonal antibody therapy?

Monoclonal antibody treatments use artificially created copies of antibodies that the body’s immune system produces when it detects the presence of outside intruders like the Covid virus. In the case of Covid, these duplicates of antibodies bind themselves to the spike protein that the virus uses to enter cells and effectively locks it out of the site.

How much does it cost?

The price point of this treatment could be the deal-breaker for many as the “antibody cocktail” of Casirivimab and Imdevimab currently being used in certain hospitals is priced at Rs 59,750 a dose in the country.

However, with increasing competition and incipient homegrown varieties, the price could fall to more reasonable levels in months to come.

How effective is it and what are the benefits?

Laboratory studies have shown that monoclonal antibody treatment prevents mild to moderate cases from escalating to the severe stage, which would require hospitalization, by up to 70 per cent.

Several Indian doctors have told multiple media outlets that the therapy has shown remarkable effectiveness in treating those with mild symptoms if administered within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms, and could reduce the need for steroids, which have been identified as a major factor behind post-Covid complications.

However, the treatment is not advisable for severe cases of the disease.

What are the potential side effects?

Combined antibody therapies most commonly cause allergic reactions and can also come with infusion-related reactions like fever, nausea, fatigue, chest pain, difficulty breathing and an irregular heartbeat, among others.

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