WHO approves Roche/Regeneron Covid-19 treatment

The World Health Organization (WHO) has backed a Covid-19 treatment developed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche and United States biotech company Regeneron. WHO also made it clear that it wants both companies to make the treatment available to low income countries at an affordable price. Roche and Regeneron have collaborated on producing the treatment using the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, which have been shown to be effective at neutralising the virus when combined. WHO on Friday recommended that the treatment be used on infected people who either have underlying health conditions or are suffering from severe symptoms. The health body has urged both companies to “address the high price and limited production” of the treatment. It is asking Roche for “a donation and distribution of the drug through UNICEF”. The global health agency UNITAID is also negotiating with the manufacturers to grant access to the drug for less well-off countries. “The need to have...