AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Antibody Neutralizes Omicron Sub-variants, Lab Study Shows

AstraZeneca Plc's AZN antibody-based cocktail to prevent and treat COVID-19 retained neutralizing activity against Omicron coronavirus variants, including the highly contagious BA.2 sub-variant, in an independent lab study.

This is the first data looking at AstraZeneca's Evusheld treatment on the Omicron variant following a recent global spike in cases. In December, AstraZeneca said another lab study found that Evusheld retained neutralizing activity against Omicron.

The latest study showed that the therapy reduced the amount of virus detected in samples - viral load - of all tested Omicron sub-variants in mice lungs. The study has yet to be peer-reviewed.

Evusheld was tested against the BA.1, BA.1.1, and BA.2 sub-variants of Omicron, and it was also shown in the study to limit inflammation in the lungs.

Related: AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Therapy Approved In Britain As Preventive Option.

Additional 'live' virus data from Aix-Marseilles University and pseudovirus data from the FDA also demonstrated that Evusheld neutralizes BA.2.

The therapy is currently under a European review. It has already been authorized in the U.S.

Price Action: AZN shares closed at $63.23 on Friday.