This is a simple post to explain the difference between these two drugs being used to combat Covid.

Gilead Sciences’ REMDESIVIR

• Anti-viral drug used initially in May 2020 for treatment of Covid 19
• Used in Hospital Setting only (severe infection)
• Intravenously administered
• Prevents the virus from making an enzyme that is needed for it to make copies of itself
• Used along with other treatments
• Approved by FDA in October 2020

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/final-report-confirms-remdesivir-benefits-covid-19

REGENERON’s Ronapreve

• Combination of antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab made by a company called Regeneron in partnership with Roche.
• Assists the immune system in preventing or fighting Coronavirus in what is called “passive immunity”
• Also called REGEN-COV and is approved for emergency use by the FDA, and was more recently approved in the UK and other countries in Europe.
• Is used outside of severe/critical hospital setting
• Given by infusion intravenously or subcutaneously
• Must be done within first 10 days of illness
• Recently has been given expanded, general use (previously reserved for emergency situations)
• Recently made widely available to states like Florida and Texas in the United States to combat the Delta variance surge in those states
• Not recommended as a replacement for getting a Covid19 vaccine but works if the vaccine has failed to trigger antibody production.

https://www.precisionvaccinations.com/vaccines/regen-cov2-antibody#:~:text=Regeneron%27s%20REGEN-COV%20Monoclonal%20Antibody%20Cocktail%20%28Ronapreve%29%20combines%20monoclonal,an%20anti-viral%20effect%20in%20patients%20hospitalized%20with%20COVID-19.

Why We Should Consider Ourselves Vulnerable and Take advantage of Monoclonal Antibodies

People with certain blood cancers, especially Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia often do not respond well to the Covid vaccinations, meaning your body does not naturally build the antibodies that normally are created as result of vaccination.

Are there other antibodies being used to help Covid19 patients other than the Regeneron cocktail? Definitely, yet Regeneron is the first to be approved for wide use. Watch for more to enter on the scene as trials are progressing and in the case of the Astra-Zeneca cocktail, encouraging results have just been released and see below for Adrian’s article on the topic.

WHERE TO GET REGENERON INFUSIONS

How to get information about getting infusion in the United States is found here. This site shows all Regeneron centers to date. Please note that you need a doctor’s referral to get an appointment with these centers.

We will let you know when it becomes widely available in the United Kingdom. We will also attempt to give you updated information about availability in Canada.

This is some information about monoclonal antibodies in Australia.

In summary, Remdesivir is an anti-viral drug used in severe Covid-19 illness situations requiring hospitalization. If you are hospitalized for this, you may be given a drug like Remdesivir. You cannot, however, use this drug as preemptive treatment as it is used in hospital setting only. It is fully approved by FDA.

Regeneron’s antibody cocktail on the other hand, is now being used in a variety of situations, including as “passive treatment” at infusion centers in the United States and other countries, to allow folks like blood cancer patients to possess antibodies to fight off a Covid19 infection should we be exposed. It is also used to conquer milder cases of Covid19 as long as you react quickly to get appointment for an infusion. Regeneron treatment is still used on FDA “emergency approval” only. Other antibody cocktails are going through trials and will offer options in the near future.

Things are moving forward at a lightning pace so keep your eyes open and your hands on the rails because the ride is going to be exciting.