TAMPA, Fla. — One monoclonal antibody treatment that health experts consider not to be useless against the omicron COVID-19 variant is offered to people in Hillsborough County at no cost.
Through a doctor's referral, people fighting the virus can get the drug Sotrovimab at home, county health officials said in a news release Wednesday. It's one of a handful that the Food and Drug Administration says is effective against the variant.
Last month, the agency rescinded the emergency use authorization for two monoclonal antibody treatments — Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab administered together and REGEN-COV — produced by companies Regeneron and Eli Lilly. The FDA said the National Institutes of Health's COVID-19 Guidelines Panel had recommended against using the drugs as a treatment.
GlaxoSmithKline produces Sotrovimab, which is available for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and patients 12 and older. Patients must have tested positive for the virus and may be at high risk for progression to severe illness, the county said in a statement.
Gov. Ron DeSantis had been a vocal opponent of the FDA's decision, which forced the closure of monoclonal antibody sites statewide, vowing to "fight back" in some way to obtain a drug deemed ineffective. He did, however, vouch for Sotrovimab and encouraged the federal government to send more of the treatment to Florida.
"I would absolutely purchase more Sotrovimab to be able to keep the sites open," DeSantis said.
Hillsborough County partners DeliveRxd and Prosper Infusion have the drug available; Medicare recipients should contact Prosper Infusion, health officials said.
