What are monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins made in a lab. These proteins, when administered, can join a person’s natural immune system as a potent ally to fight the COVID virus. When a person is infected with COVID-19, it takes a person’s immune system some time to produce antibodies that can fight off the virus. That’s true even if a person has been vaccinated. Monoclonal antibodies are the “first responders” which can arrive to the battle early while the body is training the natural immune forces for the fight. Monoclonal antibodies are administered as infusions or shots either by a medical provider or a pharmacist.Who can receive monoclonal antibodies?
Not everyone who has COVID-19 can receive monoclonal antibodies. This therapy is for people who are 12 and older and are not hospitalized or severely ill. If someone is critically ill with the virus, the FDA recommends they not receive this therapy. Monoclonal antibodies are meant to be used at the onset of COVID-19 to prevent the virus from progressing. So, it is very important that both providers and patients be aware of their existence. The FDA authorized Regeneron’s therapy for people who has been exposed to an infectious person or who is at high risk of exposure. An example is people in a nursing home with a recent case.- If used as a preventive measure, the person receiving the therapy should be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and
- not fully vaccinated or are someone who would not be expected to mount an adequate immune response to complete COVID-19 vaccination (for example, people with immunocompromising conditions, including those taking immunosuppressive medications), and
- have been exposed to an individual infected with COVID-19 consistent with close contact criteria per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or
- who are at high risk of exposure to an individual infected with COVID-19 because of occurrence of COVID-19 infection in other individuals in the same institutional setting (for example, nursing homes or prisons)