AZ antibody treatment flops late-stage trial

The quest for alternatives to COVID-19 vaccines has hit a speed bump. This week, AstraZeneca reported that its antibody cocktail failed a late-stage trial designed to see if the therapy could prevent infection in people exposed to the coronavirus. 

According to the company, the drug cocktail reduced the risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms in 33% of the 1,121 participants — but that result was not statistically significant.  

Drug developers have been looking to therapies such as antibody cocktails as an alternative tool for COVID-19 prevention in patients who are unable to take vaccines.

Despite the setback, the company said that the therapy is still in five different trials as a treatment for COVID-19. The British drugmaker is also in discussions with the U.S. government about a $205 million supply deal for 500,000 doses of the treatment, called AZD7442. Lonza has already been contracted to manufacture AZD7442.