The AZD7442 therapy, delivered via injection, uses a cocktail of two antibodies called tixagevimab (AZD8895) and cilgavimab (AZD1061) and is designed to protect people who do not have a strong enough immune response to vaccines.
"With continued cases of serious COVID-19 infections across the globe, there is a significant need for new therapies like AZD7442 that can be used to protect vulnerable populations from getting COVID-19 and can also help prevent progression to severe disease", Hugh Montgomery, a professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London who was the principal investigator of the study known as TACKLE, is quoted as saying.
The scientist added the positive results show that a convenient intramuscular dose of AZD7442 could play an important role in helping combat the pandemic.
AstraZeneca, which developed a COVID-19 vaccine together with the University of Oxford, said that the cocktail trial involved more than 900 adults in 13 countries.
Results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal, the pharmaceutical firm said, adding that it has already requested authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use.