Everyone Is Talking About Monoclonal Antibodies as Treatment For Reducing Risk of Symptomatic COVID Is It an Option for Those With Cancer?

The new study reduced the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 80% among a group of 299 nursing home residents. The new drug, bamlanivimab, is a type of drug known as a monoclonal antibody. In those who are unable to receive the COVID vaccine this may represent another option to reduce the risk of developing the virus that has caused a global pandemic. However, Dr. Catherine Diefenbach, Associate Professor of Medicine and Translational Director of Lymphoma of the Perlmutter Cancer Center tells SurvivorNet “The data on prevention of COVID in patients who have high risk exposure is intriguing but the data has not been published.”

Related: What Is Monoclonal Antibody Treatment? Already Used for Cancer, Some Want to Use It for COVID-19

Although this may be an option in the future for now doctors will need to await the full trial results to better understand the role monoclonal antibodies play in preventing symptomatic COVID infections. The take home message is that if you are fighting cancer and do not have access to the vaccine you should discuss what options are available with your doctors.

How Do Monoclonal Antibodies Work?

This class of drugs is not new and is used to treat many diseases from rheumatoid arthritis to cancer. In this specific case the monoclonal antibody is designed to target and attack one of the proteins (the spike protein) on the surface of the virus responsible for COVID-19 infections. By binding to this protein, the monoclonal antibodies can block the virus from entering the cell. Basically, the drug works to seek out the virus and keep it from getting in the cells of your body.

“The use of COVID specific antibodies for high risk patients, who are COVID positive, is a major step forward.” Dr. Sager

This drug has previously shown promise in treating high risk patients who are COVID-19 positive before they develop severe symptoms and require hospitalization. Dr. Sagar Lonial, Chief Medical Officer of the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University tells SurvivorNet that “the use of COVID specific antibodies for high risk patients who are COVID positive is a major step forward.”  Dr. Diefenbach agrees that monoclonal antibody therapy should be considered in high risk patients, such as those with cancer, who are known COVID positive to help prevent severe symptoms. However, to better understand if these drugs can be used to prevent COVID doctors will need to see the published results. If you are a cancer patient or are at high risk of complications from COVID-19 you should discuss with your doctor what is the best strategy for you to reduce your risk of getting the virus.

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