Feds stockpile more bebtelovimab for use in high-risk COVID patients
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 05, 2022
A new order of the injectable COVID antibody bebtelovimab should meet current demand levels through August, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
After leading in COVID-19 drug trials, a nursing home chain now partners on dementia drug
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 31, 2022
Principle LTC, operator of 45 nursing homes in the Southeast, is building on its successful role in testing a key drug for COVID-19 prevention and treatment to launch trials of a new Alzheimer drug.
CMS restricts coverage of Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm to clinical trials
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2022
Coverage of aducanumab (Aduhelm) is officially limited to clinical trials only, the agency announced Thursday. Most stakeholders have called for restricted use while more efficacy and safety data is gathered,...
FDA restricts use of antibody sotrovimab in 8 states where BA.2 dominates
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 29, 2022
The monoclonal antibody sotrovimab is no longer authorized for the treatment of COVID-19 in eight states and two territories where the omicron BA.2 sub-variant accounts for at least half of the infections.
Evusheld doses go unused, despite demand in vulnerable patients
Mar 08, 2022
Fully 80% of the drug’s supply is languishing on shelves while physicians remain uninformed or uncertain about the drug and its guidance, a new report finds.
‘They heard us’: Partner program to allow fast LTC access to federal stock of COVID-19 drugs
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 04, 2022
The federal Long-Term Care Partner Program aims to quickly get time-sensitive COVID-19 treatments to facilities when an outbreak occurs. The first drug available via the portal will be molnupiravir, followed...
Omicron sub-variants cut potency of monoclonal antibodies, mRNA vaccines: study
Mar 04, 2022
Eli Lilly’s bebtelovimab is the only authorized monoclonal antibody that can neutralize all three dominant sub-variants, investigators say.
Long-term care facilities to receive expedited meds under National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 03, 2022
Hundreds of facilities will be able to directly order COVID-19 antiviral drugs and receive direct distributions starting this month, federal officials say.
Another mAB bites the dust? FDA advises docs not to use sotrovimab in some locales
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 25, 2022
In a scenario now familiar to long-term care clinicians, the FDA has advised against prescribing the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody drug sotrovimab in locations where certain SARS-CoV-2 variants are now...
FDA authorizes monoclonal antibody that tackles omicron
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 15, 2022
Bebtelovimab is greenlit for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients at high risk of severe disease. The move comes amid a federal push to increase supply of effective therapies.