Researchers from the Eli Lilly laboratory (illustration).

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Eli Lilly

At this stage, it is impossible to know if it is a simple setback or a more serious problem.

The American pharmaceutical group Eli Lilly announced on Tuesday the suspension of a clinical trial of its experimental treatment with antibodies against Covid-19 for non-detailed safety reasons.

The day before, it was the Johnson & Johnson laboratory which had announced a pause in the clinical trial of its vaccine after a possible unexplained illness.

"We know that, as a precaution, the independent health monitoring committee of the ACTIV-3 trial has recommended a pause in recruitments," a spokesperson told AFP, speaking of a trial involving Covid-19 patients hospitalized.

"Lilly supports the independent committee's decision to prudently ensure the safety of patients participating in the trial."

Similar to the treatment Trump received

The treatment is similar to what Donald Trump received shortly after the onset of his symptoms of Covid-19: these are synthetic antibodies injected intravenously, and which are manufactured specifically to neutralize the coronavirus responsible for the disease, replacing facto the immune system.

Donald Trump received antibodies manufactured by the American company Regeneron, and praised their effectiveness after his discharge from hospital, promising to authorize them for all patients and to distribute them free of charge.

The two companies last week applied to the US Medicines Agency (FDA) for urgent approval of their treatments, but the FDA must first verify their safety and the possibility of serious side effects.

Eli Lilly's statement did not indicate whether other trials currently testing synthetic antibodies were also on hold, and AFP asked for clarification.

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