GSK-Vir therapy works against Omicron sub-variant, data suggests

An antibody-based COVID-19 therapy developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology retains neutralising activity against the emerging BA.2 form of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Vir said on Thursday, citing data from lab work.

The U.S. company said it expected to release preprint data in the coming week, with live virus data to follow.

Based on pseudovirus and extensive pharmacokinetic data, the company said it believed the 500 mg dose of sotrovimab is sufficient to retain activity against the BA.2 variant, which is in line with all other variants of concern and interest.

The monoclonal antibody therapy, sotrovimab, is authorised for emergency use in the United States. The companies are sharing the latest data with global regulatory authorities, Vir said.

Sotrovimab is one of the few COVID-19 treatments shown to have worked against the fast-spreading Omicron variant, spurring demand. It was amongst GSK's top selling offerings in 2021.