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Roche, Lilly Antibody Cocktails Threatened By Delta Plus Variant But More Evidence Needed

GSK Yet To Submit Application For Sotrovimab In India

 
• By Vibha Ravi

Roche and Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody cocktails seem to show reduced efficacy against the Delta Plus variant, first identified in Europe, but more evidence might be needed to support the finding. Meanwhile, GSK’s Indian unit is gearing up to submit an application for accelerated approval of sotrovimab.

Vial of monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy For COVID-19 Might Be Threatened By New SARS-CoV-2 Variants • Source: Alamy

India recently classified the Delta Plus coronavirus variant, originally found in Europe, as a variant of concern after the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG), a network of labs to study and monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2, said the variant has higher transmissibility and stronger binding to receptors of lung cells.

Over 200 cases of the new variant had been found in as many as 11 countries by 16 June, including in US, UK, Canada, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Nepal and India

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