A clinical trial is underway to assess the effectiveness and safety of sipavibart, AstraZeneca's long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to provide protection against Covid-19, as a potential treatment for Long Covid.
News Medical
Summary
- Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) announced a clinical trial to test sipavibart, a long-acting monoclonal antibody from AstraZeneca, as a treatment for Long Covid.
- The trial design:
- 100 patients will be enrolled in a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial.
- Participants will receive either sipavibart or a placebo.
- Evaluations every 3 months will track improvements in symptoms like cognitive dysfunction, autonomic issues, and exercise tolerance.
- Sipavibart is already approved for COVID-19 prevention in the EU and Japan, and the study builds on previous evidence suggesting monoclonal antibodies may help alleviate Long Covid symptoms.
Extracts
Dr. Nancy Klimas, Director, Institute for Neuro-lmmune Medicine at NSU
Like many multi-symptom, post-viral conditions, Long Covid is incredibly complicated and thus little understood. Finding a treatment will be life-changing for patients suffering from the myriad symptoms of Long Covid.
MEA Comment
This is an announcement for a new clinical trial that will assess the safety and efficacy of using a monoclonal antibody called sipavibart to treat Long Covid.
The randomised controlled trial is being carried out in America by a team lead by Professor Nancy Klimas – who has a longstanding research interest in ME/CFS.
Sipavibart has antiviral actions – as it targets spike proteins on the Covid virus.
So it has been used to successfully treat acute Covid infections.
However, there is no current evidence to indicate that it can treat Long Covid.
It is currently an unlicensed medication in the UK and its use is being reviewed by NICE.
Dr Charles Shepherd,
Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association,
Member of the 2018-2021 NICE guideline on ME/CFS committee,
Member of the 2002 Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on ME/CFS
