The federal government is sharply pulling back on one of the monoclonal antibody treatments authorized for COVID-19, pausing its use across eight states out of concerns it could fail against the BA.2 omicron subvariant.
The therapy, called Sotrovimab from GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, is now no longer authorized by the FDA in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey and New York, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, while BA.2 is the prevailing variant of SARS-CoV-2, the agency announced Friday (March 25).
In those impacted areas, BA.2 is estimated to account for more than 50% of new COVID-19 cases as of March 19, according to data from the CDC.
Distribution of the drug will now be “immediately” paused across those regions, the Department of Health and Human Services said.