San Diego County News

Independent publication serving San Diego County

Patient receives antibodies discovered at Vanderbilt to prevent COVID-19

December 26, 2021 By sdcnews

Cody Stubblefield, RN, gives Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s first dose of the new Covid-19 antibody combination Evusheld to patient Caroline Davis on Dec. 22. Photo by Donn Jones

By Newswise

Caroline Davis of Nashville became the first patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on December 22 to receive injections of a new antibody combination to protect her from COVID-19.

Davis, who is being treated for cancer at VUMC, said she could not produce antibodies against the COVID-19 virus on her own, despite receiving two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and a booster, because of the chemotherapy she is receiving suppresses her immune system.

“It’s very exciting,” she said, before Cody Stubblefield, RN, gave her two injections of the antibodies, one in each arm, in an outpatient clinic at VUMC. “This is the best Christmas present that could possibly have been given to me.”

The long-acting antibody combination, called Evusheld, was discovered at VUMC and developed by the global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. On Dec. 8, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Evusheld for emergency use to prevent COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years and older.

The therapy is authorized only for people who are not currently infected with the COVID-19 virus and who are immunocompromised because of medical conditions or treatment for disorders including cancer or who have a history of a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.

Last week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began distributing the first allotment of doses to state health departments around the country. VUMC was among the first to receive doses from Tennessee’s allotment of about 1,000 doses, officials said.

Davis’ physician, David Morgan, MD, said, “In patients for whom the vaccine doesn’t work, this is a great option.” Morgan, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, estimated that hundreds of patients being treated for cancer at VUMC could benefit from Evusheld.

The injections provide about six months of protection from COVID-19 with only minor side effects such as rash, headache and mild fever. Preclinical data released this week by AstraZeneca suggest that Evusheld is protective against the omicron variant of COVID-19, which is spreading rapidly around the world.

Evusheld currently is the only antibody combination given by intramuscular injection to protect uninfected people from COVID-19. Other antibody combinations are given by intravenous infusion to patients who have recently been infected to prevent them from becoming seriously ill.

Because of the limited supply, Evusheld will be given only to the highest risk patients, including transplant recipients and those being treated for cancer. Patients who qualify should contact their physicians, who will order the injections and place them on a list to receive them as soon as possible.

Evusheld is not an option for people who are not immunocompromised or who have not had a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine. For most people, “vaccination is still the primary prevention,” Morgan said.

The antibodies were discovered by James Crowe, MD, Robert Carnahan, Ph.D., and their colleagues in the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center. Six antibodies were licensed in June 2020 to AstraZeneca for optimization and advancement into clinical trials.

One of the studies showed that a long-acting, two-antibody combination reduced the risk of COVID-19 symptoms at six months by 83% compared to an inactive placebo.

The VUMC research was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund at Vanderbilt.

40

SHARES
Share on Facebook
Tweet
Follow us

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Health, Medical Tagged With: Health, Medical


Support Independent Journalism



Trending

  • California readies 3,000 miles of network infrastructure to achieve broadband for public
  • Three-month-old giraffe calf receives orthotic leg brace treatment at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
  • Oceanside Public Library to host art classes for older adults
  • CA Public Utilities Commission provides more numbers for 209 area code
  • Carlsbad police seek witnesses of vehicle assault on pedestrians at shopping center

Advertisement

Start the New Year on the right foot. Use code NY30 for up to $30 off our fees on your flight!

Advertisement

Start LLC today at incorporate.com

Education

17 Oceanside high school students to receive Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarships

By … [Read More...]

Environment

Latino Outdoors San Diego hosts tour in the Tijuana River Watershed

By … [Read More...]

Science & Technology

Cleaning up online bots’ act – and speech

By … [Read More...]

Advertisement




Advertisement

Spring Break Savings! Save up to $25◊ off our Fees on Flights Use Coupon BREAK25.

Advertisement

SodaStream USA, inc

Advertisement

Stacy Adams

Categories

  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Community Events
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Private Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow @SanCounty

Privacy Policy

Terms of service

Copyright © 2022 San Diego County News