China’s first domestically developed Covid-19 medicine was delivered to the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen on July 11.
A collaboration between the hospital, Tsinghua University and Chinese biotech firm Brii Biosciences, the medicine, an amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination, is a neutralizing antibody therapy that targets adults or minors from 12-17 years old with mild or medium symptoms that could become serious. Phase III clinical trials showed the medication reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 80 percent.
The hospital said the drug is effective against Omicron variants, including BA.4 and BA.5 that are spreading in Europe and the US. It costs under 10,000 yuan (US$1,539), lower than its purchase price overseas, and is already covered by social health insurance in some regions.
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