Mohabbat Singh, an 84-year-old man from Haryana, has become the first person in India to be administered the COVID drug cocktail on May 26. The same cocktail was given to former US President Donald Trump when he tested positive for coronavirus last year.
Singh, who was under treatment for the last five days at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital was given the drug over a 30 minute intravenous supply, reported ANI.
The cocktail drug is basically a mixture of two fast-acting antibodies-Casirivimab and Imdevimab. This when administered to COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate symptoms is seen to be effective to avoid any further deterioration in the patient.
The first batch of the Roche antibody cocktail drug arrived in the country on May 24, according to an official announcement by Roche India and Cipla Limited.
"If these antibodies are injected into a patient infected with the Covid-19 virus at an early stage when the virus is trying to multiply then it blocks the virus from entering the cells of the patient from where it derives nutrition to multiply. So by blocking the virus they are stopping the multiplication of the virus and finally the virus spikes. It is one of the blocking mechanisms that is working against the Covid-19 virus," Doctor Naresh Trehan, Chairman and MD of Medanta hospital told ANI.
The Chairman further stated that the antibodies are effective against the new variant B.1.617.2 and this has been verified in laboratories as well.
He also said that the sooner the antibodies are injected, the more effective it is. Explaining further Dr Trehan says, "It has been tested and used extensively in the US and Europe and the experience shows that (it works) when given timely, that means the first seven days of viral replication stage or when the virus multiplies. So, by blocking it then you are reducing the severity of the disease in everybody, but also in those who had a severe infection because of comorbidities along with their age and also a high viral load".
While its effects are promising, the antibody cocktail is not recommended for patients who are hospitalised due to severe COVID-19 or those who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19. It is also not advisable for those who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 and in patients on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity.
Dr Trehan is glad that India now has access to monoclonal antibody therapy and believes this will save many lives in the battle against COVID-19, however, he has advised patients to check with their treating physician if the treatment will hold beneficial to them or not.
(With inputs from ANI)
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