Photo used for illustrative purpose.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has approved the emergency use of a highly effective new treatment for COVID-19, becoming the first country in the world to both licence and enable immediate patient use.

Endorsed by the US Food and Drug Administration, the new treatment, from globally-leading healthcare company, GSK, "Sotrovimab (Vir-7831" offers the prospect of reducing hospitalisation for more than 24 hours and fatalities by as much as 85% when administered to patients as an early treatment for COVID-19.

The UAE has authorised the emergency use of Sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of patients aged 12 years or older with mild to moderate COVID-19 disease who are at risk of progression to hospitalisation or death.

In pre-clinical studies, Sotrovimab has demonstrated effectiveness as monotherapy against widely circulating variants of the disease.