FANTASTIC NURSING HOME NEWS—Eli Lily’s monoclonal antibody drug can lower the risk symptomatic #COVID19 by 80% when used preventively among nursing home residents. Cuts risks overall by 57% among both staff+residents. Huge.
2) Lily will now seek expanded emergency use authorization from the FDA. The detailed numbers are linked below.
3) Unlike vaccines that trains / teaches your bodies how to recognize the spike protein and build your own immunity, monoclonal antibody drugs directly infuse working synthetic antibodies against the virus into your system. This is useful for people with slower immune systems.
4) MAB drugs (also made by Regeneron) also useful in early #COVID19, which it is currently used for, as long as illness isn’t severe yet. but unclear how it would mix with vaccines. Govt rules currently says avoid mixing for 3 months initially. But maybe updated soon.
5) And yes, MAB drugs are designed for the classic older variant. Unclear on efficacy against new variants. But it can be updated over time with extra work and testing.
6) That said, some have speculated extended use of MAB drugs could be also driving mutations as well—since it forces evolution of viruses via extra selective pressure. Some say the same for overuse of convalescent plasma therapy. But similar argument on antibiotic overuse too.
7) But do we stop using antibiotics for bacteria infections? No, but there is some risk of antibiotic resistance long term. But it buys us time.
MAB drugs are not a way out of this pandemic. Vaccines are. But maybe a temporary stopgap.
8) Also note that unlike vaccines, MAB drugs wanes quickly within weeks. Vaccine derived immunity should be robust for much longer - especially with the 2nd dose. MAB drugs also slows your body from building its own immune defense to the virus too.
9) This is akin to “giving a person a fish to feed for a day”, as opposed to “teaching a person how to fish” like vaccines do. Teaching how to fish is much better long term. So MAB drugs are a stopgap temporary measure.
10) MAB drugs are also pain in the rear to mass produce. They can’t be chemically synthesized like molecules in typical drugs can. They must be made by slow biological reactors that create them slowly. So much slower on mass production.
11) Also worrisome, neutralization by 14 of the 17 most potent mAbs tested in one study was reduced or abolished by either K417N, or E484K, or N501Y mutations (found in the most recent South Africa 🇿🇦 #B1351 and Brazil 🇧🇷 #P1 variants). Not good. biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
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Delaying doses of coronavirus inoculations will increase the chances of a vaccine-resistant strain of #COVID19 emerging, government scientists warn. 🧵 independent.co.uk/news/health/co…
2) Sage scientists there was an “increased risk of virus replication under partial immunity after one dose than after two doses, so in the short term, delaying the second dose would be expected to somewhat increase the probability of emergence of vaccine resistance”
3) Is such an increase material? It is not currently possible to quantify the probability of emergence of vaccine resistance as a result of the delayed second dose, but it is likely to be *small*. The UK currently has limited supplies of vaccine.
BREAKING—Trump FDA just left final kick in the teeth—Pfizer will now ship fewer #COVID19 vaccine vials after it lobbied to count & **pay for** “extra” doses found in vials. Now Pfizer can count 6 per vial to meet dose orders—ie shipping less vials. When FDA approved? Jan 6th! 🧵
2) “For weeks, Pfizer execs pushed officials at Trump FDA to change the wording of vaccine’s emergency use authorization so it formally acknowledged that vials contained 6 doses, not 5. Distinction critical: Pfizer’s contract requires paid by the dose.” nytimes.com/2021/01/22/hea…
3) “Now, it appears, the bill is due. Pfizer plans to count the surprise sixth dose toward its previous commitment of 200 million doses of Covid vaccine by the end of July and therefore will be providing fewer vials than once expected for the US.
BREAKING—UK 🇬🇧 Prime Minister Boris Johnson says: Early evidence suggests the #b117 variant of #covid19 that emerged in the UK may be more deadly. (data assessed by scientists on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group). TO BE UPDATED. bbc.co.uk/news/health-55…
2) Early estimate: 30% more deadly.
Johnson said: "In addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant—the variant that was 1st identified in London and the south east - may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.
3) "It's largely the impact of this new variant that means the NHS is under such intense pressure."
The evidence comes from mathematicians analysing trends in the numbers of people dying with the new and the old variants.
CAPITOL OUTBREAK HAS ARRIVED—At least 20 US Capitol police officers now have active #COVID19, marking the largest number of cases among the rank and file in months.
3) I tried warn about potential for the Jan 6th Capitol riot to be a super spreading event. Sounds like the real is now very real, in addition to the outbreak among members of Congress.
people traveling to/from DC is going to seed so many more #COVID19.
BREAKING—Biden @WHCOS says Trump admin "fell so far behind" on vaccinations, that supplies are now catching up.
➡️Plus, #COVID19 vaccine supply will increase 20% because Biden has just invoked Defense Production Act to produce a special efficient syringe, says @RonaldKlain.
Riley June Williams, who face charges for stealing laptop from @SpeakerPelosi during Capitol siege & attempted to sell it to Russia 🇷🇺 will be released from jail.