Effectiveness of REGEN-COV antibody combination in preventing severe COVID-19 outcomes

Abstract

REGEN-COV, a combination of the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, has been approved as a treatment for high-risk patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 within five days of their diagnosis. We performed a retrospective cohort study, and used data repositories of Israel’s largest healthcare organization to determine the real-world effectiveness of REGEN-COV treatment against COVID-19-related hospitalization, severe disease, and death. We compared patients infected with Delta variant and treated with REGEN-COV (n = 289) to those infected but not-treated with REGEN-COV (n = 1,296). Demographic and clinical characteristics were used to match patients and for further adjustment as part of the C0x model. Estimated treatment effectiveness was defined as one minus the hazard ratio. Treatment effectiveness of REGEN-COV was 56.4% (95% CI: 23.7–75.1%) in preventing COVID-19 hospitalization, 59.2% (95% CI: 19.9–79.2%) in preventing severe COVID-19, and 93.5% (95% CI: 52.1–99.1%) in preventing COVID-19 death in the 28 days after treatment. In conclusion, REGEN-COV was effective in reducing the risk of severe sequelae in high-risk COVID-19 patients.

REGEN-COV is a SARS-CoV-2 combined monoclonal antibody treatment which has been shown to be effective in randomised controlled trials. Here, the authors assess its real-world effectiveness using data from Israel during the Delta wave and find that it reduced the risk of hospitalisation, severe disease and death.