Covid-19 vaccine alternative begins late-stage trials

The drug developed by Astra Zeneca could protect those with a weakened immune system

People undergo Covid-19 swab tests at an area under lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in Colombo, Sri Lanka. EPA

Members of the public do some last-minute shopping ahead of level four rules coming into force in 11 council areas in Glasgow, Scotland. Getty Images

DroneUp pilot Andrew Holbert prepares to launch a drone to deliver a Covid-19 self collection test kit to a home, after being ordered from Walmart by a resident, amid a Covid-19 surge in El Paso, Texas. Residents who live within 1.5 miles of the Walmart Supercenter in East El Paso are eligible for the free kits as part of a drone delivery pilot program. AFP

A resident watches as a drone delivers a Covid-19 self collection test kit to her home, after being ordered from Walmart, amid a coronavirus surge in El Paso, Texas. AFP

A resident picks up the package after a drone delivered a Coivd-19 self collection test kit to her home, which was ordered from Walmart, amid a coronavirus surge in El Paso in El Paso, Texas. AFP

A worker wearing a protective mask sets up outdoor seating at a restaurant in the Hampden neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. Bloomberg

People drop their self-administered coronavirus test sample into a collection bucket at a Covid-19 testing site in a park in Los Angeles, California, a few days ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. AFP

Hindu devotees perform rituals dedicated to the sun god on Chhat Puja festival in Prayagraj, India. Health officials have warned about the potential for the coronavirus to spread during the upcoming religious festival season. AP Photo

A shopper wearing a face mask browses merchandise beside bare shelves due to the coronavirus pandemic at a Target store in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Reuters

Children sit in an awareness session about Covid-19, on Universal Children's Day, organised by Society for the Protection of the Rights of Child (SPARC) in Hyderabad, Pakistan. EPA

People wearing masks are reflected in a window at Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Japan. EPA

Mannequins are displayed in a storefront on a quiet downtown street amid a Covid-19 surge in El Paso, Texas. AFP

A health worker collects samples for Coronavirus testing at a Hospital after new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Hyderabad, Pakistan. EPA

A runner passes through Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Coronavirus infections continue to rise in the greater Washington region, with more than 5,000 new cases reported on Thursday, a daily record. Bloomberg

People wearing protective masks pass through Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Coronavirus infections continue to rise in the greater Washington region, with more than 5,000 new cases reported on Thursday, a daily record. Bloomberg

News related to coronavirus is seen on a display at Times Square in New York City, New York. Reuters

Students at Louise Elementary School walk along a passageway, during the coronavirus pandemic in Louise, Texas. Reuters

A pedestrian walks a dog at Federal Hill park in Baltimore, Maryland. Coronavirus infections continue to rise in the greater Washington region, with more than 5,000 new cases reported on Thursday, a daily record. Bloomberg

Gandhi Mandap museum is seen lit in blue on the occasion of the World Children’s Day in Guwahati as part of a campaign for children's rights during the Covid-19 pandemic, India. AFP

People wearing face masks to avoid spread of coronavirus walk in New Delhi, India. EPA

Members of the public do some last-minute shopping in Glasgow, Scotland. Getty Images

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha attends the online Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit (APEC), at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand. EPA

A person wearing a mask walks past a show window at Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Japan. EPA

People enjoy the view next to the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge over the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul. AP Photo

People at a heightened risk of Covid-19 were given fresh hope on Saturday when an experimental alternative to a vaccine began late-stage trials in UK city of Manchester.

The drug, developed by industry heavyweight AstraZeneca, could be used to protect those with a weakened immune system.

The treatment differs from a vaccine because it introduces antibodies, rather than prompting the body's immune system to make them.

The phase three trial will be tested on 5,000 people across the US and Europe, with 1,000 being recruited in Manchester and the UK.

"What we are investigating in this study is whether we can provide protection by giving antibodies that have been shown to neutralise the virus, by injection into the muscle," said Professor Andrew Ustianowski, chief investigator on the UK study.

"The hope is that this will then provide good protection for many months against infection."

The cocktail combines two monoclonal antibodies and could also be used to treat and prevent progression of Covid-19 in those already infected.

Monoclonal antibodies mimic natural antibodies that the body generates to fight off infection. They can be synthesised in the laboratory and are already used to treat some types of cancer.