FDA Revokes Authorization for COVID-19 Treatment After Virus Evolves to Resist it
The FDA has revoked the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the last remaining monoclonal antibody treatment against COVID-19. Just last year several monoclonal antibodies were available to help patients with mild to moderate cases fight the infection. Since then, the virus had mutated to resist all but one kind of monoclonal antibody: bebtelovimab. This drug was authorized in February 2022, but new COVID-19 strains have already rendered it ineffective. The only medications available to treat most patients with COVID-19 are Paxlovid, Lagevrio and Veklury. Scientists are working to develop antibodies that continue to work even as the virus evolves. However, these drugs are in the very early stages of research.