British regulator approves first drug designed to fight Covid-19

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August 20, 2021, 10:10 | Updated: August 20, 2021, 10:22

Health Minister Sajid Javid said the announcement was “excellent news”. Photo: scientific

The UK Medicines Regulatory Authority has approved Britain’s first treatment using man-made antibodies to treat and prevent coronavirus.

According to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), clinical trial data shows that the drug, Ronapreve, can be used for three purposes: preventing infection, treating severe Covid-19 symptoms and reducing the likelihood of needing admission. To the hospital.

Clinical trials of Ronapreve were conducted before vaccination was started across the UK and before viral variants such as the delta variant emerged.

It is the first drug of its kind approved for use in the prevention and treatment of acute coronavirus infection in the UK.

Ronaprif uses human-made or monoclonal antibodies that are cloned from white blood cells. They act like naturally produced human antibodies in the immune system to fight off the virus.

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The drug, developed by drug companies Regeneron and Roche, can be given by injection or infusion.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said the approval of the first drug created specifically to fight Covid-19 in the country is “great news”. He added that he hoped it would be brought to the NHS for patients “as soon as possible”.

Mr Javid said: “The UK is a world leader in identifying and deploying life-saving treatments for Covid-19, once they have been shown to be safe and effective in our government-backed clinical trials.

“This is great news from the independent medicine regulator and means the UK has approved its first treatment designed specifically for Covid-19.

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“This treatment will be an important addition to our armory for dealing with Covid-19 – in addition to our world-renowned vaccination program and the life-saving treatments dexamethasone and tocilizumab.

“We are now working in full swing with the NHS and expert doctors to ensure this treatment is offered to NHS patients as soon as possible.”

Dr Samantha Atkinson, Senior Quality and Temporary Access Officer at MHRA, said: “We are pleased to announce approval of another therapeutic treatment that can be used to help save lives and protect against Covid-19.

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“Runaprev is the first of its kind to treat Covid-19, and after careful evaluation of the data by our expert scientists and clinicians, we are satisfied that this treatment is safe and effective.

“With no compromises on quality, safety, and efficacy, the public can be confident that the MHRA has conducted a robust and comprehensive assessment of all available data.”

The Medicines Regulatory Authority said the government and the NHS would announce how the treatment would be offered to patients across the UK in due course.

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