The FDA has withdrawn its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the investigational anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404 – Lilly) for treatment of COVID-19. Bebtelovimab is not expected to retain activity against the Omicron variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, which currently cause the majority of COVID-19 cases in all regions of the US.

The FDA has warned that the investigational anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab is not expected to retain activity against the Omicron variants BQ. and BQ.1.1.1 Bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404 – Lilly) is available under an FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for IV treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in high-risk patients ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg for whom alternative treatment options are unavailable or inappropriate. The drug remains authorized for use in all regions of the US.

On April 29, the NIH recommended against use of the antiparasitic drug ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19 outside of a clinical trial. The recommendation was made because recent randomized, placebo-controlled trials of ivermectin have produced negative results and because alternative drugs that have been shown to be effective for treatment of COVID-19 are available.

The FDA has expanded the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax) to allow for their use as a second booster dose ≥4 months after a first booster dose in adults ≥50 years old and in persons aged ≥12 years (Pfizer) or ≥18 years (Moderna) who have undergone solid organ transplantation or have a condition that compromises the immune system to a similar extent.

The investigational monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404 – Lilly) has been granted an FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for IV treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg and are at high risk of progressing to severe disease, including hospitalization and death, and for whom alternative treatment options are unavailable or inappropriate. Bebtelovimab is active against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2; sotrovimab (VIR-7831) is the only other monoclonal antibody currently available for treatment of COVID-19 that is active against Omicron.