Sotrovimab
Links to latest country guidance for sotrovimab authorization, treatment, and product information
November 2023
An Overview and Background
Sotrovimab is a medication approved for use in people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and are considered high risk for experiencing severe COVID-19 infection.
Categorized as a monoclonal antibody (mAb), sotrovimab is produced in a laboratory and currently produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology.
Engineered with a very specific three-dimensional shape, sotrovimab is designed to attach directly to a protein on the SARS-CoV-2 virus called the spike protein. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses this spike protein to enter the cell and attach to a specific cell protein called ACE-2. Once the SARS-CoV-2 virus is inside an infected cell, it reproduces and then spreads to other cells.
Because the virus attaching to ACE-2 is initially what starts the process that leads to severe COVID-19, scientists and clinicians believe that giving it to people in the early stages of COVID-19 and who are at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19, can interrupt attachment to ACE-2. By attaching to the spike protein, sotrovimab effectively prevents the SARS-CoV-2 from attaching to ACE-2, found in cells of the body. If the interaction with ACE-2 is interrupted and prevented, then the virus may only cause mild symptoms, characterized by irritating your upper respiratory tract, as in any cold.
For the latest information on the availability of sotrovimab in your country, as well as further information about the product, please refer to the table below:
