AstraZeneca Begins Clinical Trials for COVID-19 Antibody Treatment

Entering Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Antibody Therapeutics

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, known for being at the forefront of developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), has reportedly begun clinical trials for an antibody treatment as well.

On the 25th, foreign media reported that AstraZeneca is conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety of ADZ7442, a monoclonal antibody cocktail, by administering it to up to 48 participants. It is said that the administration to participants has already begun.

AstraZeneca plans to expand the number of trial subjects and proceed to Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials if positive results are obtained in the Phase 1 trial.

Previously, AstraZeneca received funding of $23.7 million (28.1 billion KRW) from a U.S. government agency for the development of a COVID-19 antibody treatment. The antibody treatment is produced by selecting the antibodies with the strongest virus-neutralizing ability from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients, then culturing cells into which the antibody genes have been inserted to mass-produce the antibodies.

Earlier, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also granted emergency approval for treatment using plasma from patients who had contracted and recovered from COVID-19.

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