MHRA approves Evusheld (tixagevimab/cilgavimab) to prevent COVID-19 in people whose immune response is poor
Evusheld has been approved for use in adults who are unlikely to mount an immune response from COVID-19 vaccination or for whom vaccination is not recommended. Recipients should not be currently infected with or had recent known exposure to a person infected with COVID-19.
Source:
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
SPS commentary:
Developed by AstraZeneca, Evusheld is a combination of two long-acting antibodies that works by binding to the spike protein on the outside of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A single dose of the two medicines, tixagevimab and cilgavimab, should be given as two injections into a muscle. In a clinical trial in adults, Evusheld was found to reduce the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 77%, with protection from the virus continuing for at least 6 months following a single dose. There is not yet enough data to know how effective Evusheld is against Omicron or the duration of its effect against this variant.