RHHBY Roche Holdings Ltd AG (QX)

By Michael Dabaie

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Columbia University researchers and Regeneron scientists independently confirmed that its REGEN-COV casirivimab and imdevimab antibody cocktail successfully neutralizes the SARS-CoV-2 variants first identified in the U.K. and South Africa.

Shares were up 1.3% to $551 in premarket trading.

Columbia's findings were included in a paper posted to bioRxiv and submitted for peer-reviewed publication on the changing resistance of SARS-CoV-2 variants to antibody neutralization, Regeneron said.

Both teams of researchers assessed in vitro neutralization potency of numerous Covid-19 antibodies against various mutated strains of the virus, the company said. Although some antibody therapies were no longer effective against some of these variants, the REGEN-COV antibody cocktail continued to neutralize all variants tested, Regeneron said.

"With two complementary antibodies in one therapeutic, even if one has reduced potency, the risk of the cocktail losing efficacy is significantly diminished, since the virus would need to mutate in multiple distinct locations to evade both antibodies," said George D. Yancopoulos, president and chief scientific officer at Regeneron.

In November 2020, REGEN-COV received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19.

Regeneron said it is collaborating with Roche Holding AG to increase global supply of REGEN-COV. Regeneron is responsible for development and distribution of the treatment in the U.S., and Roche is primarily responsible for development and distribution outside the U.S.

Write to Michael Dabaie at michael.dabaie@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 27, 2021 07:50 ET (12:50 GMT)

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