Treatment against Covid by antibodies: “They are not at all called to replace vaccines”, believes u – franceinfo

“Obviously, they are not called upon to replace vaccines at all”, estimates Hervé Watier, professor of immunology at the University Hospital of Tours, Thursday, November 11 on franceinfo, while the European Medicines Agency authorizes the marketing of two antibody treatments against Covid-19. The treatment of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, Ronapreve, and that of the South Korean company Celltrion, regdanvimab, are intended for patients who do not need supplemental oxygen and who are at risk of developing severe forms.

“Unfortunately, there are patients who respond poorly to vaccination, who are immunocompromised, transplanted, he explains. So this is part of the arsenal we have now, which is very useful, and which complements it. We are going to advance in two different ways, which are both that of antibodies, and then that of chemical antivirals. We will probably have a use of both. “

These new treatments are “administered by injection”. “Those that are directed against the Covid-19 virus are directed towards the entry gate of the virus. They attach themselves to the virus and prevent it from entering cells, and therefore from contaminating other cells”, assures Hervé Watier.

“They are administered early in the infection, it will prevent the spread of the virus to other cells, and it will limit the pathogenic effects of the virus”, he concludes.