GS PAPER II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: An experimental monoclonal antibody cocktail, REGEN-COV2, has been found to be a life-saving treatment for some of the most severely affected Covid-19 patients, results of a clinical trial in the UK have shown.

What are monoclonal antibodies?

• To fight a viral infection, our bodies create proteins known as antibodies.
• Monoclonal antibodies are artificial antibodies that mimic the activity of our immune systems.
• They are produced through a process that involves extracting specific antibodies from human blood and then cloning them.
• These monoclonal antibodies are designed to target a virus or a specific part of one — for instance, REGEN-COV2 is a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies developed to target the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
• The monoclonal antibodies bind to specific parts of the spike protein, blocking its ability to infect healthy cells.
• Besides Covid-19, monoclonal antibodies have been used in the treatment of cancers as well as Ebola and HIV.

How important are they in Covid-19 treatment?

• Research during the pandemic has increased optimism in monoclonal antibodies’ ability to help reduce the risk of hospitalisation.
• While a crucial and promising part of treatment, monoclonal antibodies also have limitations. So far, these therapies have shown the most success in high-risk groups with mild to moderate Covid-19.
• They are not approved for use in those hospitalised with severe Covid-19 and those requiring oxygen.
• It is very important to provide them to “the right patients at the right time” for the greatest benefits, especially in resource-constrained settings.

Is this therapy available in India?

• REGEN-COV2 is available in India through a tie-up between Swiss drug giant Roche and Indian company Cipla.
• The therapy, a combination of monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, had received the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s restricted emergency use permission in May.

How do monoclonal antibodies compare with convalescent plasma therapy?

• India last month dropped the use of convalescent plasma as an “off-label” option from its guidance on Covid-19 treatment. Over the last eight months, evidence from trials has shown it has no significant benefits in improving patient outcomes.
• Compared with plasma, scientists have expressed more confidence in the promise of monoclonal antibodies. Both antibody-based therapies, they differ in the way they are made.
• Convalescent plasma therapy involves providing antibodies from a recovered Covid-19 patient’s plasma. This means that those receiving this therapy would be getting all the antibodies the recovered patient has made.
• Monoclonal antibodies are when you take a specific antibody and mass-manufacture it in a factory. For antibody cocktails, you provide a combination of two or more such antibodies.
• Monoclonal antibodies are “extremely pure” due to their homogenous nature.
• The difference between monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma is (that) plasma has a lot of other things in it, which could lead to allergic and other reactions.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-monoclonal-antibodies-covid-7368039/

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