TORONTO – Health Canada warns healthcare providers that treatment with the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody may no longer be effective against the new Omicron sub-variant.
The agency said Thursday that sotrovimab, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, “is unlikely to maintain efficacy against the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant” and said treatment showed “reduced activity” against the new sub-variant.
However, Health Canada says sotrovimab can still be used in patients with COVID-19 who test positive for earlier Omicron subvariants.
“Current data suggest that sotrovimab remains effective against Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1,” the agency said. “Local epidemiology and individual exposure to variants should be considered before using sotrovimab.”
Sotrovimab was approved for emergencies used in connection with the July last pandemic to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older who are at high risk of hospitalization or death.
The signal comes a week after US Food and Drug Admiration withdrew its treatment permit due to the growing number of BA.2 sub-options across the country.
Provincial health authorities are already suspending or discouraging treatment, instead recommending Paxlovid or Remdesivir.
The Ontario Scientific Table recommended not using Sotrovimab on April 1, and Alberta stopped using the treatment on Wednesday. Saskatchewan also stopped taking sotrovimab on April 7, and BC recommended treatment only “as a last-line agent.”
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