The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has approved for emergency use, a new treatment that has proven to be highly effective in treating COVID-19.
The UAE is the first country in the world to get the license and start the use on patients, after the US Food and Drug Administration gave an emergency use authorisation to the antibody treatment last week.
The treatment, Sotrovimab (Vir-7831), can reduce hospitalisation for more than 24 hours, as well as reduce fatalities by 85% when administered as an early treatment.
The antibody can be used on patients aged 12 and above that show mild to moderate symptoms and are at risk of progression to hospitalisation or death.
The trials of Sotrovimab also showcased effectiveness as a monotherapy against widely circulating variants of the virus.
Due to a partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, the UAE is able to license and start using the treatment on COVID-19 positive patients.
Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention said, "The new medicine will greatly contribute to speeding up the recovery of patients, reducing COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalization period in intensive care units. It will also support the country’s efforts being made to conduct COVID-19 tests and administer vaccines, retaining its leading position among the world's foremost countries, dealing efficiently with the COVID-19 pandemic. The discovery of innovative solutions and treatments in order to deliver distinct and effective health care services, especially during pandemics, can help governments face health crises more effectively and efficiently."