NEW STUDY: Eli Lilly, Regeneron antibody therapies lose out in effectiveness against Omicron variant

German researchers have found that COVID-19 therapies developed by Eli Lilly (LLY.N) and Regeneron (REGN.O) lose most of their effectiveness when exposed in laboratory tests to the Omicron variant of coronavirus, likely reducing treatment options if the new variant prevails.

Two groups of Germany based scientists separately found that protection from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) and Vir's (VIR.O) antibody cocktail Xevudy held up when exposed to Omicron in lab experiments, but that this was not the case for Lilly's antibodies, bamlanivimab and etesevimab, and the antibodies in Regeneron's Ronapreve drug.

"The neutralizing activity of several monoclonal antibodies is strongly affected against the Omicron variant and will limit treatment options for Omicron-induced COVID-19," one of the groups, comprising Cologne and Berlin-based scientists, said in their paper that was posted online on Tuesday.

Last week, in a similar lab analysis, a group of Germany-based researchers including virologist Sandra Ciesek of the University Hospital Frankfurt came to a similar conclusion on the Regeneron drug, saying Omicron was resistant against it.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1470927620711854082