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World’s First COVID-19 Drug Based on Human Immunoglobulin Developed from Plasma of Recovered Patients

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 14 Sep 2021

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The world’s first drug based on human immunoglobulin being developed from plasma of recovered patients could be effective on COVID-19 patients with mild conditions.

China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm Beijing, China) is developing two medicines for the treatment of COVID-19 based on human immunoglobulin and monoclonal antibody. Both the drugs could reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus in infected people and will be effective on patients with mild COVID-19, according to a report by the Global Times.

The first drug being developed from plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients or vaccinated uninfected people contains high-potency SARS-COV-2 neutralizing antibodies. The drug has demonstrated significant relief of symptoms and damage caused by SARS-COV-2 in pre-clinical studies and animal tests. The new drug containing a high level of neutralizing antibodies to the novel coronavirus is all set to soon enter Phase 3 clinical trials.

The second COVID-19 drug under development is based on a potent monoclonal antibody against the Delta variant discovered by researchers at Sinopharm. The monoclonal antibody is capable of effectively blocking the binding of the novel coronavirus to the Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 which is attached to the membranes of cells located in the intestines, kidney, testes, gallbladder and heart. According to Sinopharm, the antibody can prevent the SARS-COV-2 virus from infecting human cells.

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