Coronavirus: Ronapreve

(asked on 29th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of the B.1.1.529 covid-19 variant on the (a) efficacy of Ronapreve and (b) efficacy of Ronapreve in immunocompromised people.


Answered by
Maggie Throup Portrait
Maggie Throup
This question was answered on 14th December 2021

The UK Health Security Agency have noted that B.1.1.529, or Omicron, could potentially have an impact on neutralising monoclonal antibody treatments. However, there is currently no confirmed evidence of reduced efficacy.

Regeneron is evaluating Ronapreve against the Omicron variant. Preliminary analyses from the company suggest that the antibodies in the cocktail may have the potential to retain activity against the Omicron variant, as well as the other existing variants of concern. Further in vitro data is expected over the next month.

On 17 September, Ronapreve was made available to treat the most vulnerable hospital patients in the United Kingdom through an interim clinical policy. This treatment will continue to be available this winter for hospitalised patients.

There will be ongoing monitoring (involving sample collection) of selected patients treated with nMABs (led by UK Health Security Agency). This will include monitoring the efficacy of the treatments against variants. The Therapeutics and Antivirals Taskforce will also keep the evidence under review, including how this could affect immunocompromised patients.

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