Health
2 years ago

EU regulator okays COVID-19 treatments from GSK-Vir and Sobi

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The European Union's drug regulator on Thursday approved a COVID-19 treatment from British-US duo GSK and Vir Biotechnology and another from Swedish drugmaker Sobi, as the bloc builds its defences against omicron.

The approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of GSK-Vir's antibody-drug sotrovimab and Sobi's arthritis drug Kineret come as governments struggle with soaring infections and worry about the swiftly-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus, reports Reuters.

The European Union's public health body warned on Wednesday that there was a "very high" risk omicron would become dominant in Europe by early next year.

EMA's human medicines committee recommended using Kineret to treat COVID-19 in adults with pneumonia requiring oxygen support and those who were at risk of developing severe respiratory failure.

GSK-Vir's sotrovimab, branded Xevudy, was recommended for treating adults and adolescents who did not require oxygen support but were at a higher risk their disease would worsen.

Final and formal approvals are up to the European Commission, which typically endorses EMA recommendations.

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