The Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines Program (ACTIV) implemented by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was responsible for the initiation and evaluation of LY-COV55, a monoclonal antibody produced by AbCellara Biologics.  The product was manufactured by Lilly Research Laboratories in partnership with AbCellara.  The trial failed to demonstrate any advantage with 326 total participants, 314 of whom were randomized to receive either the monoclonal antibody or a placebo.  There was no improvement in clinical status compared to the placebo at day-5 of the trial among COVID-19 patients.  There was no difference in either time before hospital discharge or the primary outcome of sustained recovery at home for 14 days, among the recipients of the monoclonal antibody compared to the placebo.

Additional studies are in progress to evaluate alternative monoclonal antibody products conforming to the same rigorous standards to determine clinical benefit.

The negative result for this placebo-controlled, structured trial confirm the need for scientific studies to determine the value of therapeutic agents to treat Covid-19 or any emerging disease. Public confusion, waste of time and money and the loss of life are the result of unscientific claims based on hope or political motives as characterized by the hydroxychloraquine myth.

Lundgren, J. et al. A Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody for Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.  The New England Journal of Medicine. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa2033130 (2020)