Yashoda Hospitals launches new Covid drug

Hyderabad: Yashoda Hospitals in collaboration with Cipla on Wednesday has launched antibody cocktail Casirivimab and Imdevimab for treatment of Covid positive patients. The first batch of Covid positive patients were administered with the antibody cocktail at Yashoda Hospital Secunderabad on Wednesday.

In clinical trials on patients with Covid 19, the cocktail antibody combination of Casirivimab and Imdevimab, administered together, have shown to reduce Covid 19 related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression within 28 days after treatment when compared to placebo. As with every drug benefits and risks need to be assessed individually and recommended to consult the primary care doctor or and pulmonologist for indications for use and suitability, according to Dr. Lingaiah, medical director of Yashoda Hospitals.

It was observed in phase three clinical trials that the cocktail of the antibody drugs significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by at least 70 per cent and also also significantly shortened the duration of symptoms by four days.

This antibody cocktail drug is approved at a combined dose of 1200 mg (600 mg of each drug) administered by intravenous infusion or subcutaneous route on OP basis. It should be administered as soon as possible after onset of symptoms of even in asymptomatic patients. The drugs can also be administered to contacts of households who had Covid, as a prophylaxis so that the contacts do not get Covid.