GSK Expands Trial for COVID-19 Antibody-Based Treatment

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology are expanding the scope of their experimental antibody trial on early-stage COVID-19 patients after an initial trial raised no safety concerns.

The companies enrolled 20 participants in August, but now plan to enroll up to 1,300 globally. The antibody, administered via single injection, is being evaluated for its ability to prevent hospitalization in recently diagnosed, high-risk coronavirus cases.

Interim trial results could be ready by end of this year, but the complete results won’t be available until the first quarter of 2021, the companies said.