The drugmakers said on Wednesday the U.S. orders bring the total
number of doses to be supplied to more than 750,000 globally,
without specifying how many doses of the treatment, sotrovimab, the
U.S. government had signed up for.
However, other public deals for the drug include 10,000 doses for
Canada
https://www.reuters.com/business/
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/gsk-supply-10000-doses-covid-19-drug-canada-2021-10-04
and up to 220,000 doses for the European Union
https://www.reuters.com/business/
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-signs-deal-with-gsk-supply-potential-covid-drug-2021-07-28.
Values of those orders have not been disclosed.
U.S. deliveries of the treatment, branded Xevudy, are expected by
Dec. 17 and the government will also have an option to buy more
doses through March 2022, GSK and Vir said in their joint statement.
While vaccines remain at the heart of the long-term fight against
the COVID-19 pandemic, treatments including game-changing antiviral
pills from Merck and Pfizer, offer options to contain infections and
save lives.
Pfizer said on Tuesday it was seeking U.S. authorisation of its
experimental antiviral COVID-19 pill that cut the chance of
hospitalization or death for adults at risk of severe disease by 89%
in a clinical trial.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Nov/17/images/ads/current/fcs_funeral_lda082613.png)
GSK-Vir's sotrovimab has shown to reduce that risk by 79% in trials
https://www.reuters.com/business/
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/study-confirms-gsk-vir-antibody-drug-reduces-hospitalization-death-covid-19-2021-06-21.
Unlike oral options from Merck and Pfizer, sotrovimab is given via
an infusion. It belongs to a class of medicines called monoclonal
antibodies which are lab-generated compounds that mimic the body's
natural defences.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Nov/17/images/ads/current/state_bank_lda_PPP_2021.png) The therapy was authorised for
emergency use
https://www.reuters.com/business
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-gives-emergency-use-approval-gsk-vir-covid-19-antibody-drug-2021-05-26
in the United States in May to prevent mild or
moderate cases of COVID-19 from worsening. The
European regulator has given its go-ahead for
use by member states, although EU-wide approval
is still pending. "Given ongoing
evidence, which demonstrates its ability to maintain activity
against the tested circulating variants of concern, including Delta,
we are confident sotrovimab will continue to be important," Vir
Chief Executive George Scangos said. Last week, GSK
and Vir said the antibody treatment was shown in a trial to work as
well when given as a shot in the arm when administered via the
standard infusion, potentially offering more convenience.
Sotrovimab brought in sales
https://www.gsk.com/media/
7228/q3-2021-results-announcement.pdf of 130 million pounds ($175
million) for GSK in the first nine months of 2021.
Similar products are offered or being developed by Eli Lilly,
Regeneron, AstraZeneca and Celltrion.
Last month U.S. authorities said the government would control
distribution
https://www.reuters.com/business
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/govt-control-distribution-gskvir-covid-19-antibody-us-fda-2021-10-08
of sotrovimab in the country.
($1 = 0.7427 pounds)
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry
Jacob-Phillips, Edmund Blair and Angus MacSwan)
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