Pharmaceutical
firm Roche India on Monday announced the launch of its antibody cocktail for
treating COVID-19. This is the same drug that was administered to former US President Donald Trump when he contracted COVID-19 last year.  

The drug – Casirivimab and Imdevimad – is priced
at Rs 59,750 per dose and will be marketed in India by Cipla.

Also Read | Fungal infection is not communicable: AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria

Here is
everything to know about the antibody cocktail:

1. The drug received emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the Central Drugs Standards
Control Organisation (CDSCO) on May 4. It has already been approved in the United
States and several European countries.

Also Read | British woman dies of blood clotting in Cyprus after AstraZeneca jab

2. Each of
the 100,000 packs that will be available in India as part of the first batch can
treat two patients. The second batch will be available by mid-June.

3. Each of
the 1,200 mg dose contains 600 mg of Casirivimab and 600 mg of Imdevimab. Each
dose is priced at Rs 59,750 with a multi-dose kit priced at Rs 1,19,500.

4. The drug
will be available at leading hospitals and COVID-19 treatment centres.

Also Read | US reports cases of heart inflammation in adolescents following their vaccination

5. The antibody cocktail is to be administered for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection in adults and pediatric patients (12 years and older weighing at least 40 kilograms).

6. The drug may only be administered in settings in which health care
providers have immediate access to medications to treat an infusion reaction,
such as anaphylaxis.