Business
Vir Biotechnology Announces Positive Final Draft Guidance on Sotrovimab from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Final draft guidance based on cost effectiveness evaluation of sotrovimab SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq:
About this update from Vir Biotechnology, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Final draft guidance based on cost effectiveness evaluation of sotrovimab\nSAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced that the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provided positive final draft guidance recommending the use of sotrovimab, an investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody, in adults who do not need supplemental oxygen for COVID-19 and who have an increased risk for progression to severe COVID-19 where nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) is contraindicated or unsuitable. Due to existing inventory, no meaningful additional sales of sotrovimab in the UK are anticipated in 2023. “We welcome the final draft guidance from NICE which we believe is particularly meaningful as the organization’s recommendations are informed by independent committees that aim to provide guidance to healthcare professionals on the best care options available to benefit their patients,” said George Scangos, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vir. “With this recommendation, sotrovimab continues to be an important option for appropriate patients around the world and we remain committed to working with our partner GSK to ensure patients in need have access to it.” This final draft guidance provides recommendations to the UK’s National Health Service on the future routine commissioning of therapeutics for people with COVID-19 while COVID-19 is an endemic disease. NICE expects to publish its final recommendations on medicines to treat COVID-19 in March 2023. Sotrovimab has obtained emergency authorization, temporary authorization or marketing approval (under the brand name Xevudy®️) for early treatment of COVID-19, supplying more than 40 countries. Sotrovimab is not authorized in the US. About SotrovimabSotrovimab is an investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody. The antibody binds to an epitope on SARS-CoV-2 shared with SARS-CoV-1 (the virus that causes SARS), indicating that the epitope is conserved. Sotrovimab, which incorporates Xencor, Inc.’s Xtend™ technology, has also been designed to achieve high concentration in the lungs to ensure optimal penetration into airway tissues affected by SARS-CoV-2 and to have an extended half-life. Vir’s Commitment to COVID-19Vir was founded with the mission of addressing the world’s most serious in...