Bhubaneswar: Apollo Hospitals in the capital city have started antibody cocktail therapy for COVID-19 patients.
The new therapy, which is a combination of Casirivimab and Imdevimab, was administered to an 82-year-old man from Bhubaneswar with comorbidities on Monday.
The patient was admitted to the hospital on May 29 three days after he tested positive for the virus, Consultant physician of the hospitals Dr Paresh Jena was quoted telling The New Indian Express.
“The patient with comorbidities, including heart disease and old brain stroke, was admitted on day 5 of showing COVID symptoms. The COVID monoclonal antibodies were given on day 6. We are the first hospital in the State to begin the combination medication,” he said.
The MAC dose per patient is priced at Rs 59,000.
The country’s medical regulator, Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO), has approved emergency use of the COVID monoclonal antibody cocktail last month.
It can be administered to patients who have mild to moderate form of the disease, are 12 years or above and weigh at least 40 kg. They also should have a high risk of getting a serious form of the disease of developing severe disease and do not require oxygen.
