The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday authorized AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals who have weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines, Reuters reports.
While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, AstraZeneca's therapy Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.
The FDA stressed that pre-exposure prevention with Evusheld is not a substitute for vaccination in individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination is recommended.
In October, AstraZeneca revealed positive results from a trial of its treatment for COVID-19 symptoms.
The drug, made from a combination of two antibodies, achieved a "statistically significant reduction in severe COVID-19 or death" in non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms, the company said in a statement.