Lilly Pauses COVID-19 Antibody Trial

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) has paused its trial of an
antibody treatment for COVID-19. While a specific reason for the pause was
not provided, the pharmaceutical company says the decision was made “out of
an abundance of caution.”

Lilly’s investigational neutralizing antibody, known as LY-CoV555, was being
tested in an ACTIV-3 study led by the National Institutes of Health. ACTIV
stands for “Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines”
and is a public-private partnership that launched in April, according to the
<www.nih.gov/research-training/medical-research-initiatives/activ>
NIH website.

The company says the study’s independent data safety monitoring board
recommended the pause.

“The trial, evaluating Lilly’s investigational neutralizing antibody as a
treatment for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, is sponsored by the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the
National Institutes of Health (NIH),” a Lilly spokesperson said in a
statement. “Lilly is supportive of the decision by the independent DSMB to
cautiously ensure the safety of the patients participating in this study.”

Lilly did not specify whether an unexpected illness was the reason to pause
the study or if other factors were involved.

The study is one of
<investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-provide
s-comprehensive-update-progress-sars-cov-2> several being conducted to test
the use of the antibody treatment in various settings.

In other trials not connected to the ACTIV-3 study, Lilly said earlier this
month the combination of LY-CoV555 with another antibody resulted in lower
rates of COVID-related hospitalization and ER visits.

The company said it planned to submit a request with the Food and Drug
Administration for an Emergency Use Authorization for a combination antibody
therapy in November, though it is unclear if those plans have been delayed.

Source: Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick