FDA halts emergency use of Evusheld
The Food and Drug Administration revised the Emergency Use Authorization for Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) to limit its use to when the combined frequency of non-susceptible SARS-CoV-2 variants nationally is less than or equal to 90%. Based on this revision, Evusheld is not currently authorized for use in the United States until further notice by the agency.
Data show Evusheld is unlikely to be active against certain SARS-CoV-2 variants. According to the most recent CDC Nowcast data, these variants are projected to be responsible for more than 90% of current infections in the United States. This means that Evusheld is not expected to provide protection against developing COVID-19 if exposed to those variants.
This action to limit the use of Evusheld prevents exposing patients to possible side effects of Evusheld such as allergic reactions, which can be potentially serious, at a time when fewer than 10% of circulating variants in the U.S. causing infection are susceptible to the product.
[Read more: Retailers providing updated COVID-19 bivalent vaccine to children]
Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses, like SARS-CoV-2. And like other viruses, SARS-CoV-2 can mutate over time, resulting in certain products not working against certain variants. This is the case with Evusheld and prompted the changes to the authorization that FDA has made.
Should a patient become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and develop symptoms of COVID-19, they should seek medical attention, including starting treatment for COVID-19 as appropriate. There are several treatments — Paxlovid, Veklury (remdesivir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir) — that are expected to work against currently circulating variants, and that is authorized or approved to treat certain patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death. Healthcare providers should assess whether treatments are right for their patients.
The U.S. government recommends that facilities and providers with Evusheld retain all products in the event that SARS-CoV-2 variants that are neutralized by Evusheld become more prevalent in the United States in the future. The retained product must be appropriately held in accordance with storage conditions detailed in the authorized Fact Sheet for Health Care Providers and the Letter of Authorization.
[Read more: Walgreens offering flu, COVID-19 testing in single visit at over 5,000 locations]
The FDA said that it will continue to work with ASPR, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health on surveillance of variants that may impact the use of the therapies authorized for emergency use. In addition, the organization also noted that it will provide further updates and consider additional action as new information becomes available. Any updates will be made available on FDA’s website.