Some Western New York hospitals now offer the same intravenous drugs to local Covid-19 patients that President Trump received during his brief bout with the virus in October.
This week, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center announced it will open an outpatient clinic next week to offer monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.
On Nov. 24, Kaleida Health began to make those drugs available at its DeGraff Medical Park site in North Tonawanda.
So far, about 20 patients have been treated with the drugs, Kaleida Senior Vice President Michael P. Hughes said.
At Erie County Medical Center, a monoclonal antibody clinic that opened in late November handles four patients a day, spokesman Peter K. Cutler said.
The drugs are called bamlanivimab or casirivimab and imdevimab, depending on the manufacturer. The supplies of the drugs are limited so far, Cutler said.
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They are made with proteins created in a laboratory that mimic the antibodies created in the body's immune system to ward off viruses. The artificial antibodies prevent the novel coronavirus from entering human cells.
They are to be used on patients who tested positive for Covid-19 within 10 days of the onset of symptoms and who are regarded as at high risk for severe Covid-19 that could result in hospitalization, according to Memorial's announcement.
“This treatment isn’t for everybody,” said Dr. Rajinder Bajwa, chief of Memorial’s infectious diseases division. “At this point we see administering it as a way to keep Covid patients out of the hospital.”
The drug is not authorized for patients who are already hospitalized or who require oxygen therapy, the Food and Drug Administration said when it approved emergency use of the drug Nov. 21.
The emergency approval for casirivimab and imdevimab was granted to its manufacturer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
It came 12 days after a Nov. 9 FDA emergency authorization for the use of bamlanivimab, another monoclonal antibody drug, manufactured by Eli Lilly and Co.
Patients who receive the infusions must be at least 12 years old and weigh at least 88 pounds, the FDA directed.
Last month, the University at Buffalo Clinical Research Office disclosed it was taking part in Regeneron's national clinical trial to help measure the effectiveness of the antibody cocktail.
The clinic at Niagara Falls Memorial is somewhat under wraps.
“To enhance safety for all our patients, the new center is located in a remote area of the hospital and has its own entry and exit,” said Joseph A. Ruffolo, Niagara Falls Memorial president and CEO.
Patients should contact their primary care physicians to discuss possible referrals to obtain the new drugs, Memorial's announcement said.
At Kaleida, "Any prescriber with Kaleida Health privileges can prescribe this emergency use treatment," Hughes said.
After the doctor completes the paperwork, Kaleida's Dr. Jamie Nadler and the group's infusion nurse manager review the packet and call the patient to arrange their infusion if they meet eligibility requirements.
