US Government to Pay $1 Billion for GSK and Vir Biotechnology’s Early Treatment of COVID-19

In a Nov. 17, 2021, press release, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology announced United States government contracts totaling approximately $1 billion to purchase sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody (mAb) for the early treatment of COVID-19. FDA granted sotrovimab an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in May 2021. GSK will supply doses of sotrovimab to the US government by Dec. 17, 2021, to expand nationwide access to sotrovimab for patients.

In addition, the US government will have the option to purchase additional doses through March 2022. The total number of sotrovimab doses secured through binding agreements—including the contracts with the US government—is now more than 750,000 doses globally. This includes the previously announced joint procurement agreement with the European Commission.

Sotrovimab is an FDA EUA authorized investigational single-dose intravenous (IV) infusion SARS-CoV-2 mAb. Under the EUA, sotrovimab can be used as a treatment for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older and weighing more than 88 pounds). These patients must have positive test results for COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response through the Department of Defense, funded the US government purchase.

Source: GSK