Regeneron's Inmazeb Becomes First Ebola Treatment To Get FDA Approval

The United States Food and Drug Administration approved Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc's REGN drug Inmazeb for the treatment of Ebola in both adults and children on Wednesday.

What Happened: Inmazeb is the first-ever drug approved for the treatment of the infection caused by the Zaire ebolavirus, according to the FDA.

The drug showed superiority over other agents such as ZMapp and Gilead Sciences, Inc’s GILD Remdesivir in terms of mortality in a large trial, according to Regeneron. The treatment was most effective when administered in an early phase of the disease.

The new drug works by targeting the glycoprotein on the surface of the Ebola virus. The antibodies formed by the drug attach to the glycoprotein thus inhibiting the entry of the virus into a cell, the FDA said in a statement.

Why It Matters: Inmazeb was developed using the same “rapid response” technologies used for developing Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody combination, the company said.

A vaccine made by Merck & Co, Inc MRK was approved by the FDA for preventative use against Ebola in December last year.

Regeneron’s antibody cocktail for use against COVID-19 was administered to President Donald Trump earlier this month, who touted the drug as a “cure” and said he had authorized an emergency approval. The company’s CEO Leonard Schleifer warned that more testing is required to judge the efficacy of that drug.

Price Action: Regeneron shares closed nearly 1.2% lower at $600.82 on Wednesday and gained 0.69% in the after-hours session.