This archive report was first published on 8 June 2020.
Published on June 8, 2020, a breakthrough in coronavirus antibody therapy has been reported, offering new hope for those infected with the virus.
According to AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical company, an injection of cloned antibodies that counteract Covid-19 could prove significant for those in the early stages of infection.
AstraZeneca's chief executive, Pascal Soriot, explained that the treatment being developed is a combination of two antibodies, which reduces the chance of resistance developing to one antibody.
Antibody therapy is more expensive than vaccine production, but Soriot emphasized that it would be prioritized for the elderly and vulnerable who may not be able to develop a good response to a vaccine.
On the same note, AstraZeneca has signed a deal with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) to manufacture 300 million globally accessible doses of the coronavirus vaccine candidate being developed by the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford.
Additionally, AstraZeneca has already started manufacturing the Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine to ensure its availability if it passes human trials in the autumn.
Meanwhile, UK-based vaccine manufacturer Seqirus is working in partnership with parent company CSL, Cepi, and the University of Queensland to develop a candidate Covid-19 vaccine in Australia.
