It has been found that many of the COVID-19 antibody treatments are less effective in treating the new mutated virus, Omicron.
Regeneron, an American biotechnology company, announced that the initial test results showed that 'REGEN-COV', an antibody treatment developed by the company, was less effective against omicron mutations.
Regeneron is conducting additional tests to confirm and quantify the effect on its treatment by using the nucleotide sequence of the actual Omicron mutated virus.
It will take several weeks to determine the specific impact.
Antibody treatments from other similar companies may also have a lower therapeutic effect on Omicron mutation, the company said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that mutations in Omicron appear to weaken or eliminate the ability of Regeneron and Eli Lilly's antibody therapy to bind to the virus.
The treatment is a method that binds to the spike protein of the Corona 19 virus and neutralizes its ability to penetrate the human body, but Omicron is a virus with multiple mutations in the spike protein, so it is difficult to achieve a great effect.
Eli Lilly has not yet responded.
(Photo = Reuters, Yonhap News)