US secures GSK-Vir COVID-19 antibody drug doses worth $1 billion

Nov 17, 2021 3:43 PM PHT

Reuters

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US secures GSK-Vir COVID-19 antibody drug doses worth $1 billion

GSK. A GlaxoSmithKline logo is seen at the GSK research center in Stevenage, Britain on November 26, 2019.

Peter Nicholls/Reuters

Britain's GSK says the deal brings the total number of doses secured of the treatment, branded Xevudy, to more than 750,000 globally

The United States has signed contracts worth roughly $1 billion to secure the antibody-based COVID-19 treatment sotrovimab from GSK and Vir Biotechnology , the drug makers said on Wednesday, November 17, with supply expected by December 17.

Britain’s GSK said the deal brought the total number of doses secured of the treatment, branded Xevudy, to more than 750,000 globally, adding that the United States would have an option to buy additional doses through March 2022.

The companies did not specify how many doses the US government had signed up for.

The US Food and Drug Administration in May gave an emergency use authorization to the GSK-Vir treatment for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people aged 12 years and older, who are at the risk of their illness worsening. – Rappler.com