The High Health Authority has authorized the use of Ronapreve, a drug that combines two monoclonal antibodies, as a preventive measure for immunocompromised patients.
- Approximately 130,000 immunocompromised patients are concerned.
- The drug works by preventing the penetration of the virus into the cells, thus fighting against its replication.
- Phase III clinical trials have shown that it reduces hospitalizations and deaths by 70%.
Immunocompromised people who are at significant risk of developing a severe form of Covid-19. In addition, they respond less well to vaccines, which is why President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he is planning a third injection at the start of the school year.
130,000 patients concerned
The High Authority for Health (HAS) announced this Friday, August 6 that these patients will be able to receive preventive treatment with monoclonal antibodies, especially if they are contact cases. “HAS issues a decision granting early access authorization for pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis to Sars-CoV-2 in immunocompromised patients who are not protected despite full vaccinationannounced the authority in a statement. It is estimated that in France, 130,000 immunocompromised patients are non-responders to a complete vaccination schedule and thus concerned by this treatment..”
The drug was developed by the Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche with the American laboratory Regeneron. It combines the drugs casirivimab and imdevimab, two monoclonal antibodies directed specifically against the Spike protein of Sars-CoV-2. They act by preventing the penetration of the virus into the cells, thus fighting against its replication. Phase III clinical trials have shown that it reduces hospitalizations and deaths by 70%. Conducted in non-hospitalized high-risk patients, these clinical trials also showed a four-day reduction in the duration of symptoms.
Japan, the first country to authorize the drug
This is not the first time that France has authorized its use. Last March, it received the green light for patients at high risk of severe form already infected with the coronavirus, in the early phase of the infection. On July 20, Japan became the first country to use this drug.
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