Nellore: The newly introduced monoclonal antibody cocktail injection has come as a blessing in disguise to Covid19 patients, going by the marked improvement in their condition without any need for hospitalization.
Doctors administering the drug said antibodies are proteins that the body generates to defend itself against any disease. Monoclonal antibodies are artificially created in a laboratory and devised to fight a particular disease.
The antibody cocktail drug being administered to the patients now is a combination of two injections known as casirivimab and imdevimab, which are distributed by popular drug firm Cipla.
The antibody cocktail can be administered for adult patients with mild to moderate symptoms if they are at high risk of developing severe Covid19 infection, said Dr MCS Reddy, consultant physician at Apollo Hospitals in Nellore, a designated Covid Hospital.
Dr Reddy said doctors gave the cocktail injection to 10 patients at their hospital in Nellore and all are doing fine sans complications.
One of the beneficiaries is the mother of a senior official. The injection was administered to the 70-year-old woman with comorbidities on June 3, shortly after she was detected Covid-positive. She was tested negative by June 8.
Notably, all the 10 patients were treated on a daycare basis and no side-effect has been noticed.
Dr Reddy said the therapy would reduce chances of hospitalization by 70 per cent vis-a-vis patients with mild to moderate Covid19 symptoms.
Patients who were given the cocktail antibody injections do not require hospitalization and symptomatic relief was noted in all patients within 48 hours.
The drug, which costs around '70,000, is recommended for all high-risk patients aged above 60 years and not in need of oxygen therapy. In addition, this can also be given to patients below 60 years if they have comorbidities within a week or ten days after they are detected positive for Covid-19.
Dr Reddy said the antibody cocktail shot came to light after it was used to treat former US President Donald Trump last year.
POINTS:
* Recommended for people above 60 years old as also those with comorbidities.
* The injection was given to 10 patients in Nellore and all are doing fine.
* It is also recommended to those of 12 years of age or older if their weight is at least 40 kg. The therapy is not recommended to patients who are hospitalized due to severe Covid19 and require oxygen therapy.
