Vir Biotechnology announces final draft guidance on sotrovimab from U.K.’s NICE

Biotechnology announced that the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE, provided positive final draft guidance recommending the use of sotrovimab, an investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody, in adults who do not need supplemental oxygen for COVID-19 and who have an increased risk for progression to severe COVID-19 where nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is contraindicated or unsuitable. "We welcome the final draft guidance from NICE which we believe is particularly meaningful as the organization’s recommendations are informed by independent committees that aim to provide guidance to healthcare professionals on the best care options available to benefit their patients," said George Scangos, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vir. "With this recommendation, sotrovimab continues to be an important option for appropriate patients around the world and we remain committed to working with our partner GSK to ensure patients in need have access to it." This final draft guidance provides recommendations to the UK’s National Health Service on the future routine commissioning of therapeutics for people with COVID-19 while COVID-19 is an endemic disease. NICE expects to publish its final recommendations on medicines to treat COVID-19 in March 2023.