• The anti-viral medication Sotrovimab is shown in pictures released by the UAE government in 2021. Pictures supplied
    The anti-viral medication Sotrovimab is shown in pictures released by the UAE government in 2021. Pictures supplied
  • The medication was credited with keeping UAE residents out of hospital and saving lives. .
    The medication was credited with keeping UAE residents out of hospital and saving lives. .
  • Sotrovimab is an antibody treatment that takes an hour to administer and is delivered intravenously.
    Sotrovimab is an antibody treatment that takes an hour to administer and is delivered intravenously.
  • The medication can be used to treat adults and children above the age of 12 who meet certain criteria and are at risk of severe cases of Covid-19.
    The medication can be used to treat adults and children above the age of 12 who meet certain criteria and are at risk of severe cases of Covid-19.
  • GlaxoSmithKline gained approval for use of the drug from the US Food and Drug Administration and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.
    GlaxoSmithKline gained approval for use of the drug from the US Food and Drug Administration and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.
  • Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health and healthcare procurement company Rafed agreed with GlaxoSmithKline to ensure delivery of the drug.
    Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health and healthcare procurement company Rafed agreed with GlaxoSmithKline to ensure delivery of the drug.

Sotrovimab: how the UAE's new drug to treat Covid-19 works


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

On Wednesday the UAE became the first country in the world to receive a shipment of a new, highly effective treatment for Covid-19.

Sotrovimab, hailed as a game-changer by doctors, is now available for early treatment for selected patients in the country.

So, what is it and how does it work?

The National explains.

What is Sotrovimab?

It is a type of monoclonal antibody, an artificially made protein that acts like human antibodies in the immune system.

The protein is directed against the virus’s spike, which it uses to attach to and enter human cells.

It blocks Sars-CoV-2 from entering healthy cells and helps to clear infected ones, preventing the disease from progressing.

It is specifically for the treatment of mild to moderate disease and is given to adults and children over the age of 12 who are at risk of developing severe symptoms.

It is the first treatment of its kind to receive approval for use in the US.

"It is the first therapy issued by the Food and Drug Administration in the US for treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease in adults and paediatric patients older than 12 years and who weigh more than 40kg, who are at high risk for progression to severe Covid-19, including hospitalisation or death," said Dr Rehab Farahat, a general practitioner at Bareen International Hospital, Mohamed bin Zayed  City.

New anti-viral medication, Sotrovimab, is now available for early treatment for selected patients with Covid-19 in the UAE. Picture supplied
New anti-viral medication, Sotrovimab, is now available for early treatment for selected patients with Covid-19 in the UAE. Picture supplied

How effective is it?

A study of 585 adult outpatients with mild to moderate symptoms found it was 85 per cent effective.

Of those patients, 291 received Sotrovimab, while the remaining 292 had a placebo. Treatment began within five days of the start of symptoms. Hospital admission or death occurred in 7 per cent of patients in the placebo group, and 1 per cent among those who received Sotrovimab.

But it is used only in patients with mild to moderate symptoms. It is of no benefit to severely affected patients and may even worsen their condition, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline said.

Why do we need new treatments against Covid-19?

There are not enough treatments to fight the novel coronavirus, specifically ones that prevent the disease from progressing in high-risk patients.

Doctors say Sotrovimab will be a game-changer.

“With this treatment, we can provide another option to keep high-risk Covid patients out of hospital and manage at home only,” said Dr Pavan Shrivastava, a consultant in internal medicine at NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Nahda, Dubai.

“It is very good for high-risk individuals who are 65 years and above, or individuals who have certain chronic medical conditions.

“In my opinion, it’s going to be a breakthrough in the management of Covid infections.

"This will definitely reduce hospitalisation and mortality.”

Will it work against the variants?

It should, yes.

“Laboratory testing showed that Sotrovimab retains activity against the current circulating variants,” Dr Shrivastava said.

Long Covid patients - in pictures

  • Seema Mary Rajan, a nurse at Medcare Hospital in Sharjah, suffered breathing problems and joint pain long after she recovered from Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Seema Mary Rajan, a nurse at Medcare Hospital in Sharjah, suffered breathing problems and joint pain long after she recovered from Covid-19. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Milena Timson-Katchis, a triathlete, found it hard to exercise after getting the all-clear from Covid-19. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Milena Timson-Katchis, a triathlete, found it hard to exercise after getting the all-clear from Covid-19. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Eman Jamal experienced breathing issues for months after she had Covid-19. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Eman Jamal experienced breathing issues for months after she had Covid-19. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Ahmad Zahalqa suffered shortness of breath when doing any form of intensive exercise, months after getting the all-clear. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Ahmad Zahalqa suffered shortness of breath when doing any form of intensive exercise, months after getting the all-clear. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Dr Waguih Elsissi, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Ajman Speciality Hospital, experienced pain for months after contracting Covid-19. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Dr Waguih Elsissi, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Ajman Speciality Hospital, experienced pain for months after contracting Covid-19. Antonie Robertson / The National
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The Porpoise

By Mark Haddon 

(Penguin Random House)
 

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UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
How much of your income do you need to save?

The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.

In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)

Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.

 

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Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties