COVID-19 therapeutics available in the CNMI

While vaccines are the best tool at fighting against COVID-19, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. has the following therapeutics, authorized under Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, available to treat eligible patients who have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

To reduce the risk of severe illness in patients with mild symptoms infected with the delta variant:

• REGEN-COV – monoclonal antibody given intravenously (into your bloodstream) or subcutaneously (under your skin)

• Bamlanivimab and etesevimab – monoclonal antibody given intravenously

To reduce the risk of severe illness in patients with mild symptoms infected with the delta or omicron variant:

• Sotrovimab – monoclonal antibody given intravenously

• Veklury (remdesivir) – antiviral given intravenously, daily for three days
•
Paxlovid – antiviral given orally

• Molnupiravir – antiviral given orally

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (a drug given to prevent disease or infection) in patients not yet infected, to reduce the risk of severe illness from the delta or omicron variant:

• Evusheld – long-acting monoclonal antibody given intramuscularly (into the muscle)

• Treatment in the hospital for COVID-19 infection, delta or omicron variant:

• Remdesivir – antiviral given intravenously, daily for five days

• Tocilizumab – given intravenously

• Baricitinib – alternative to tocilizumab

• Sarilumab – alternative to tocilizumab

Veklury (remdesivir) is the first drug approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19, for use in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 lbs) requiring hospitalization. This approval does not include the entire population that had been authorized to use Veklury under EUA, which is not the same as approval.

FDA oversight of Veklury does not end with approval, and continued safety monitoring after approval is an important FDA duty for all the products that the agency regulates.

Evusheld is available as a treatment for individuals not yet infected (pre-exposure prophylaxis) with SARS-CoV-2 for the prevention of COVID-19. Evulsheld can be given to adults and pediatric individuals 12 years of age and older, weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 lbs).

Seek care or test early if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, as you may be eligible for monoclonal antibodies or other new treatments that are given soon after infection.

Some patients may have conditions or take chronic medications that may make a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable (contraindications). Always consult with your medical provider for the best advice for your situation. (CHCC)