* Globally more than 750,000 doses of treatment secured
* U.S. supply expected by mid-December
* U.S. gave the drug emergency use approval in May
(Adds detail on drug, exec comment, background)
By Pushkala Aripaka
Nov 17 (Reuters) - The United States has signed contracts
worth about $1 billion to secure the antibody-based COVID-19
treatment developed by Britain's GSK and U.S. based Vir
Biotechnology, the drugmakers said on Wednesday.
GSK said the deal brought the total number of doses secured
for the treatment, sotrovimab, to more than 750,000 globally,
adding that supply was expected by Dec. 17. The United States
would have an option to buy additional doses through March 2022.
The companies did not specify how many doses the U.S.
government had signed up for. However, other deals include
10,000 doses for Canada https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/gsk-supply-10000-doses-covid-19-drug-canada-2021-10-04
and up to 220,000 doses for the European Union https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-signs-deal-with-gsk-supply-potential-covid-drug-2021-07-28.
Sotrovimab is authorised for emergency use https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-gives-emergency-use-approval-gsk-vir-covid-19-antibody-drug-2021-05-26
in the United States to prevent mild or moderate cases of
COVID-19 from worsening. The European Medicines Agency has given
its go-ahead for use by member states although EU-wide approval
is still pending.
The treatment has shown to cut the risk of hospitalisation
or death by 79% in adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.
While vaccines remain at the heart of the fight against
COVID-19, treatments including oral antiviral pills offer
options to contain infections.
Last week, partners GSK and Vir said the drug was shown in a
trial to work as well when given as a shot in the arm when
administered via the standard infusion, potentially offering
more convenience.
"Given ongoing evidence, which demonstrates its ability to
maintain activity against the tested circulating variants of
concern, including Delta, we are confident sotrovimab will
continue to be important," Vir Chief Executive George Scangos
said in a statement.
The treatment, branded Xevudy, had brought in sales https://www.gsk.com/media/7228/q3-2021-results-announcement.pdf
of 130 million pounds ($175 million) for GSK in the first nine
months of 2021.
Similar products are offered or being developed by Eli Lilly
, Regeneron and AstraZeneca.
($1 = 0.7427 pounds)
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry
Jacob-Phillips and Edmund Blair)