It’s been announced today that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a new COVID-19 treatment for use in the UK.
Following a rigorous review of its safety, quality, and effectiveness by the UK regulator and the government’s independent expert scientific advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines, the treatment was found to successfully reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, who are at an increased risk of developing severe disease.
The treatment – known as Xevudy (sotrovimab) – has been developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology, and is a single monoclonal antibody that, according to a statement published by the UK government website, works by binding to the spike protein on the outside of the COVID-19 virus.
This in turn prevents the virus from attaching to and entering human cells, so that it cannot replicate in the body.
Xevudy is the second monoclonal antibody therapeutic to be approved, following Ronapreve.
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In a clinical trial, a single dose of the monoclonal antibody was found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% in high-risk adults with symptomatic COVID-19 infection, and based on the clinical trial data, the government says sotrovimab is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection.
And so, the MHRA has said it recommends its use as soon as possible and within five days of symptom onset.
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BREAKING NEWS:
A new treatment against COVID-19 has been approved by @MHRAgovuk.
We'll closely monitor how effective Xevudy is against the Omicron variant and will work on deployment plans with the NHS.https://t.co/ZilAKtwdaO
The approval for use of this treatment follows the confirmation that the first pill to treat symptomatic COVID-19 – molnupiravir – has also been approved for use in the UK back at the start of November.
Like molnupiravir, Xevudy has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness – such as obesity, older age (+60 years), diabetes mellitus, or heart disease – but unlike molnupiravir, sotrovimab is administered by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes, and it has also been approved for individuals aged 12 and above who weigh more than 40kg.
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The MHRA says it’s too early to know whether the Omicron variant has any impact on sotrovimab’s effectiveness, but the body will work with the company to establish this.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a new COVID-19 treatment for use in the UK / Credit: Pixabay
“I am pleased to say that we now have another safe and effective COVID-19 treatment, Xevudy (sotrovimab), for those at risk of developing severe illness,” announced Dr June Raine, Chief Executive of the MHRA.
“This is yet another therapeutic that has been shown to be effective at protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19, and signals another significant step forward in our fight against this devastating disease.
“With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA have conducted a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data.”
Featured Image – Flickr
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Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Appeal to find two individuals after man is left with ‘serious head and face injuries’ in Altrincham attack
Danny Jones
Trafford Police are trying to find two men following an attack outside a takeaway in Altrincham earlier this year.
The incident, which took place outside Canada Grill on Railway Street a couple of months ago, has left one individual with serious.
Reported to have occurred at around 2am on Sunday, 19 October, the identity of the pair who have since been revealed on CCTV footage is still unknown.
You can see both male suspects pictured below.
#APPEAL | Can you help us identify these men as we believe they can help with our investigation of an assault at Canada Grill, #Altrincham on 19/10/25 at 2am?
The victim has serious injuries to their head and face
Since shared by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at large on social media, officers investigating the case are appealing for anyone who recognises them to come forward.
While the exact extent of the damage done and the condition of the other person involved in the altercation has not been fully disclosed, they are believed to have been left with significant “head and facial injuries”.
The Manc -
2nd December 2021 
