British drug major AstraZeneca Plc. (AZN.L,AZN) announced Tuesday that its Evusheld (tixagevimab and cilgavimab, formerly AZD7442), a long-acting antibody combination, has been approved in Japan for both prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and treatment of symptomatic disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The decision marks the first global marketing approval for Evusheld as a treatment for COVID-19.
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) granted Evusheld Special Approval for Emergency for adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40kg). Evusheld is approved for use in those whom SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is not recommended and who may have an inadequate response to a COVID-19 vaccine due to immunodeficiencies.
Evusheld is also approved for adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40kg) with risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection who do not require supplemental oxygen.
The approvals were based on efficacy and safety data from the Evusheld clinical development programme, including the PROVENT Phase III pre-exposure prophylaxis trial, the TACKLE Phase III outpatient treatment trial, and Phase I trials, including in Japan.
The Japanese government has agreed to purchase 300,000 units of Evusheld (150mg each of tixagevimab and cilgavimab), and AstraZeneca is working with the government and partners to make first doses available as soon as possible.
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