GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The largest health system in West Michigan is partnering with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to enroll hospitalized patients into a clinical trial for an investigational "antibody cocktail" created to treat and prevent COVID-19.
The cocktail, or REGN-COV2, consists of two "potent" virus-neutralizing antibodies, according to Spectrum Health today.
“There are a lot of things that we don't know yet, that we still need to learn, but definitely we're moving in the right direction,” said Dr Gordana Simeunovic, a research physician with Spectrum Health.
"Regeneron designed these drugs specifically for treatment and prevention of COVID infection”
Spectrum is one of two health systems in Michigan to offer the aSPIKE trial to patients. They are the only hospital in West Michigan doing so.
“The preliminary data shows the number of COVID-related medical visits decreases following drug administration," Dr Simeunovic said.
She says that preliminary data is showing a decrease in the viral load inside patients, and no unexpected side effects.
President Donald Trump recently received a dose of REGN-COV2 while recovering from the virus, after a "compassionate use" request by his doctors, according to Spectrum.
“It is a randomized, double-blind trial that measures the effect of adding the drug to the usual standard-of-care treatment we use in our hospital, compared to adding a placebo,” Dr Simeunovic said.
“There are signals that this might be a good thing, so let's see what trials will show.”
The trial is enrolling COVID-19 patients already hospitalized at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
For more information on the Spectrum trial, people can email covid19research@spectrumhealth.org.