WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators restricted the use of a pair of COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapies after scientific evidence suggested they are unlikely to be effective against the omicron variant.
On December 16, Regeneron said its cocktail drug had diminished potency against Omicron. But 13 days later, Cipla held a webinar to promote its use in India.
Throughout the long pandemic response, pharma companies and federal authorities have at times had to navigate challenges arising from new variants. Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies have largely remained effective, but now authorities are pausing distribution of Eli Lilly’s combo cocktail in one state over concerns of a specific variant.