AstraZeneta will test the long-acting antibody AZD7442 (a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies) in a COVID-19 trial.

AstraZenech announced Friday that its experimental long-acting antibody (LAAB) AZD7442, a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies, will enter two Phase III clinical trials that will begin next week.
said AstraZeneza also received about $486 million in U.S. government funding for the development and mass production of the AZD7442 under an agreement with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA).
AZD7442 uses the company's half-life extension technology to extend the duration of treatment by six to 12 months after a single drug, according to AstraZeneca.
added that the mixture of two monoclonal antibodies is also designed to reduce the risk of resistance to SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
noted that AZD7442 can complement vaccines as a preventive agent, especially for people who may not be suitable for vaccine use or at high risk.
trial will assess the safety and effectiveness of AZD7442 in about 5,000 participants over a 12-month period, while the second trial will test the potential of AZD7442 to prevent infection after exposure in about 1,100 subjects who have been exposed to COVID-19.
astraZeneca said it also plans to conduct other studies to assess the potential of AZD7442 to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections.
same time, AstraZeneca estimates that the U.S. will receive up to 100,000 doses of AZD7442 by the end of 2020, and that under a separate agreement, the U.S. government will receive up to 1 million more doses of AZD7442 by 2021.
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