Regeneron's antibody drug shows protection against COVID-19 for up to 8 months

FILE PHOTO: The Regeneron Pharmaceuticals company logo is seen on a building at the company's Westchester campus in Tarrytown, New York, U.S. September 17, 2020. Picture taken September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

(Reuters) - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Monday a single dose of its antibody cocktail reduced the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 81.6% in the two to eight months period following the drug's administration in a late-stage trial.

The results showed that antibody therapy, REGEN-COV, has the potential to provide long-lasting immunity from COVID-19 infection, said Myron Cohen, who leads monoclonal antibody efforts for the U.S. National Institutes of Health-sponsored COVID Prevention Network.