Early data suggest GSK antibody treatment is effective against Omicron

GlaxoSmithKline’s Covid-19 antibody treatment is likely to be able to tackle the Omicron coronavirus variant, according to early data from the pharmaceutical company, even as rival drugs were reported to be less effective against the new strain.

The UK drugmaker and its partner, Vir Biotechnology, said on Thursday that early tests suggested the antibody treatment, called sotrovimab, was effective against the Omicron variant’s mutations.

The companies’ paper has not been peer-reviewed, and they need to complete lab tests of sotrovimab. The companies will provide an update by the end of 2021.

This week, biotech Regeneron said that the mutations in the Omicron variant may hamper the ability of its antibody treatment, Ronapreve, to treat Covid-19.

Hal Barron, GSK’s chief scientific officer, said the company was working to expand access to the treatment worldwide.

“Though early, these pre-clinical data support our long-held view on the potential for sotrovimab to maintain its activity as the virus continues to mutate,” he said.

Separately on Thursday, the UK regulator approved GSK’s drug for high-risk patients with mild and moderate cases. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said it would work with GSK to establish if Omicron will have any impact on the drug’s efficacy.

June Raine, MHRA chief executive said: “This is yet another therapeutic that has been shown to be effective at protecting those most vulnerable to Covid-19, and signals another significant step forward in our fight against this devastating disease.”