The United Kingdom will become the first country to start clinical trials of a new treatment with antibodies to the Coronavirus that target people who have weak immune systems and cannot be vaccinated.

A volunteer in Manchester will be the first in the world to receive a new ‘antibody cocktail’ from AstraZeneca as part of the trial to test whether it will be banned. Covid-19 For up to a year.

The clinical trial program will employ 5,000 participants, including 1,000 people from nine sites in the UK.

The aim of the trial is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a combination of two long-acting monoclonal antibodies – man-made proteins that act like natural human antibodies in the immune system.

Sir Min Pangalos, executive vice president of research and development in biopharmaceuticals at AstraZeneca, said the treatment can be either injected or given intravenously.

“There will be a large number of people – even in a world where vaccines are highly effective – they will not respond to vaccines, or in fact they will not receive vaccines.”

“So having monoclonal antibodies as potential treatments is also important.”

The UK government has an agreement in principle to secure access to one million doses of the antibody formula, called AZD7442, if successful in Phase III trials.

The trial aims to enroll adults at increased risk Corona Virus Infection or who are likely to have an inadequate response to vaccination, and will include people from health care and home care settings.

Initial results from the randomized monitoring trial are expected to be published in the first half of 2021, although the trial is expected to last for 12 months.

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While it is unclear how much the antibody treatment will cost, Sir Min said it would be “more expensive than vaccines,” but added, “We hope to make it cost-effective.”

Business Minister Aluk Sharma said: “As we approach the COVID-19 vaccine, we must continue to move forward with clinical trials for new and alternative treatments that protect our vulnerable people, especially those who cannot receive a vaccine.”