WHO recomends 2 monoclonal antibodies for severe COVID

Two arthritis drugs, plus steroids, can cut Covid death risk, WHO says For every 100 patients given Actemra from Roche and Kevzara from Sanofi with corticosteroids, four more will survive, according to WHO analysis. NBC News

The World Health Organization on Tuesday recommended using arthritis drugs Actemra from Roche and Kevzara from Sanofi with corticosteroids for Covid-19 patients after data from some 11,000 patients showed they cut the risk of death.

A WHO group evaluating therapies concluded treating severe and critical Covid patients with these so-called interleukin-6 antagonists that block inflammation "reduces the risk of death and the need for mechanical ventilation."

According to the WHO analysis, the risk of dying within 28 days for patients getting one of the arthritis drugs with corticosteroids such as dexamethasone is 21 percent, compared with an assumed 25 percent risk among those who got standard care. For every 100 such patients, four more will survive, the WHO said.

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Moreover, the risk of progressing to mechanical ventilation or death was 26 percent for those getting the drugs and corticosteroids, compared with 33 percent in those getting standard care. The WHO said that meant for every 100 such patients, seven more will survive without mechanical ventilation.

"We have updated our clinical care treatment guidance to reflect this latest development," WHO Health Emergencies official Janet Diaz said.

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