Drug majors Roche India and Cipla on May 24 announced the launch of Roche’s Antibody Cocktail in India which is priced at Rs 59,750 per dose for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk. The first batch of the Antibody Cocktail (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) is available in India and the second batch will be made available by mid-June.

According to Cipla and Roche’s joint statement, it can in total potentially benefit 2,00,000 patients as each of the 1,00,000 packs that will be available in India offers treatment for two patients.

The Antibody Cocktail was launched by Roche India after receiving Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO). The first patient to receive the Antibody Cocktail at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi was a 65-year-old COVID patient. The patient responded well to the infusion of the Antibody Cocktail and went home after one hour of observation.

One of the top doctors in the country, Trehan also said that the Antibody Cocktail, which is a combination of Casirivimab and Imdevimab, is effective against the B.1.617 variant of coronavirus, first found in India.
Monoclonal antibodies bind to and ‘neutralize’ the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“When casirivimab and imdevimab are injected into the infected patient in early stage, it blocks the virus from entering cells of the patient. It is working against Covid-19 and also effective against B.1.617. This is a new weapon,” Dr. Naresh Trehan, chairman of Medanta Hospitals, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“The man with multiple comorbidities got injected yesterday and he went home. We’re going to follow him. Virus multiplication drops especially in those people who have high virus load and also in those who are at high risk of severe infection,” said Dr. Trehan.

Why is it termed as an Anti-body Cocktail?

Dr Rajesh Chawla, Senior Pulmonologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, said, “The reason why this therapy is termed as an Anti-body Cocktail is that it comprises of a mixture of more than two biological drugs (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) that mirror the human antibodies in the immune system which consequently help fight the infection, similar to the natural antibodies produced when one gets infected with COVID, both these antibodies also strengthen the immune defence system. This drug is said to restrict pathogens and viruses from entering the patient’s body, from where they otherwise would have derived nutrition and multiplied. This antibody cocktail will help prevent progression of the disease to a severe stage.”

When to use antibody cocktail?

The antibody cocktail can be administered for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age or older, weighing at least 40 kg) who are confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease and/or hospitalization with at least one of the following criteria:

  • Obese with Body mass index (BMI) ≥35
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Immunocompromising condition
  • Currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment
  • Aged ≥65 years
  • Aged ≥55 years and have:

CAD Cardiovascular disease, or HT Hypertension, or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or -some other chronic respiratory disease like ILD

The antibody cocktail is administered intravenously and will be administered in a specific area with well-trained healthcare staff taking into account all infection control protocols. The antibody cocktail must ideally be administered within 48-72 hours of patient testing positive for COVID-19 and before 7 days. This treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and fatality rate by 70% and 71% respectively and shortening the duration of symptoms by four days.