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
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

UAE first country in world to receive revolutionary Covid-19 medication


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

The world’s newest anti-viral medication for Covid-19, Sotrovimab, is now available for early treatment for selected patients with Covid-19 in the UAE.

Studies have shown the medicine prevents extreme illness and death in 85 per cent of early treatment cases and can work on all known variations to date.

The medication arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, making the UAE the first country in the world to receive the drug.

Sotrovimab is an antibody treatment that is delivered intravenously. It is a therapy, not a vaccine.

This medicine is at the forefront of pharmaceutical advancement and is a powerful tool in our fight to end this pandemic

It 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, under protocols developed by the National Scientific Committee.

After receiving positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency, GlaxoSmithKline applied to have Sotrovimab approved for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

It gained approval from both.

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health and healthcare procurement company Rafed agreed with GlaxoSmithKline to ensure deliveries as early as June and July.

That means patients in the UAE will be among the first in the world to have access to the new therapy.

“We have been working very closely with the Department of Health and Rafed since the interim results of the clinical trials with Sotrovimab were available,” said Gizem Akalin, managing director of GlaxoSmithKline Gulf.

  • A woman receives the Covid-19 vaccine at the Biogenix Labs at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National
    A woman receives the Covid-19 vaccine at the Biogenix Labs at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National
  • A woman is vaccinated against Covid-19 at Al Barsha Hall in Dubai. The UAE has the world's highest vaccination rate. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A woman is vaccinated against Covid-19 at Al Barsha Hall in Dubai. The UAE has the world's highest vaccination rate. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A billboard in Business Bay, Dubai, encouraging people to get vaccinated. Chris Whiteoak / The National.
    A billboard in Business Bay, Dubai, encouraging people to get vaccinated. Chris Whiteoak / The National.
  • CNBG’s Sinopharm vaccine is 79 per cent effective, WHO said. Victor Besa / The National
    CNBG’s Sinopharm vaccine is 79 per cent effective, WHO said. Victor Besa / The National
  • A man gets vaccinated at the Biogenix Labs at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National.
    A man gets vaccinated at the Biogenix Labs at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National.
  • A new treatment against Covid-19 to reduce deaths and hospital admissions by up to 85 per cent has been approved in the UAE. The country aims to vaccinate all eligible adults by the end of 2021. EPA
    A new treatment against Covid-19 to reduce deaths and hospital admissions by up to 85 per cent has been approved in the UAE. The country aims to vaccinate all eligible adults by the end of 2021. EPA
  • People wait to get their Covid-19 vaccine at the Seha Covid-19 vaccination centre at Dubai Parks and Resorts. Pawan Singh/The National
    People wait to get their Covid-19 vaccine at the Seha Covid-19 vaccination centre at Dubai Parks and Resorts. Pawan Singh/The National

“The DoH and Rafed have been agile and passionate about accelerating patient access to promising new treatments to confront Covid-19.

“Our partnership with DoH and Rafed is holistic, securing early access to Sotrovimab so that the population in Abu Dhabi and UAE will be among the first in the world to get this new treatment.

“There is a great level of scientific and medical collaboration to ensure that medical teams are ready and equipped.

"We see this close co-operation as another sign of Abu Dhabi’s rapid development as a hub for first-class treatment, medicines research, logistics and manufacturing.”

The ministry's National Scientific Committee and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health have worked on the treatment protocols to guide doctors in defining at-risk patients.

It ensures such patients have access to Sotrovimab according to their risk profile and eligibility criteria.

“This medicine is at the forefront of pharmaceutical advancement and is a powerful tool in our fight to end this pandemic," said Dr Jamal Al Kaabi, undersecretary for the health department.

"We look forward to implementing the eligibility criteria for emergency use of Sotrovimab as part of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to lead an all-encompassing Covid-19 response in prevention, treatment and care."

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Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

Results

6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).

7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.

9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

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Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

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Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The bio

Favourite food: Japanese

Favourite car: Lamborghini

Favourite hobby: Football

Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough

Favourite country: UAE

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

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