Phase III Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study of AZD7442 for Post- Exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Adults

SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that, as of 29 September 2020, has resulted in a high death toll to date. Unlike the majority of coronaviruses that cause mild disease in humans and animals, SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in the lower respiratory tract to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome and fatal pneumonia. Effective interventions to prevent or treat COVID-19 remain limited in number and clinical experience is limited. Clinical management is limited to supportive care, consequently overwhelming resources of healthcare systems around the world. As a response to the ongoing pandemic, AstraZeneca is developing mAbs to the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein contains the virus's RBD, which enables the virus to bind to receptors on human cells. By targeting this region of the virus's spike protein, antibodies can block the virus's attachment to human cells, and, therefore, is expected to block infection. Amino acid substitutions have been introduced into the antibodies to both extend their half-lives, which should prolong their potential prophylactic benefit, and decrease Fc effector function in order to decrease the potential risk of antibody-dependent enhancement of disease. AZD7442, a combination of 2 of these mAbs (AZD8895 and AZD1061), is being evaluated for administration to prevent and/or treat COVID-19. There is currently one ongoing Phase I study with AZD7442.