Brii Bio says its combo COVID-19 therapy retains activity against Omicron variant

Shares of Chinese drug developer Brii Biosciences (HK: 2137) fell yesterday despite the firm announcing new in vitro pseudoviris neutralization data demonstrating that its amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination therapy (previously referred to as combination BRII-196/BRII-198) retains activity against the new Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529).

These data add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that the amubarvimab/romlusevimab combination retains activity against key World Health Organization’s COVID-19 variants of concern, also including Delta (B.1.617.2) and Delta Plus (AY.4.2), the company said, but failed to impress investors, who pushed the firm’s stock down more than 14% to HK$37.00.

The combo therapy was granted conditional approval by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) last week for the treatment in adults and pediatric patients (age 12-17 weighing at least 40 kg) with mild and normal type of COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death.