North Charleston, SC – Today Trident Medical Center announces it has started administering the monoclonal antibody therapeutic, bamlanivimab, for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients with mild or moderate confirmed cases of COVID-19. The therapy received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on November 9. “The primary goal of the medication is to prevent hospitalizations by treating the most at risk COVID positive individuals,” explained Trident Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lee Biggs.
According to the USFDA bamlanivimab is appropriate for emergency use for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients with positive results of direct SARS CoV 2 viral testing who are 12 years of age or older weighing at least 40 kg (88.1849 lbs.), and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. High risk criteria include:
- Have a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35
- Have chronic kidney disease
- Have diabetes
- Have immunosuppressive disease
- Are currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment
- Are ≥ 65 years of age
- Are ≥ 55 years of age AND have
- cardiovascular disease, or
- hypertension or,
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/other chronic respiratory disease.
- Are 12 to 17 years of age AND have
- BMI ≥85th percentile for their age and gender based on CDC growth charts, or
- sickle cell disease, or
- congenital or acquired heart disease, or
- neurodevelopmental disorders, for example, cerebral palsy, or
- a medical related technological dependence, for example, tracheostomy, gastrostomy, or positive pressure ventilation (not related to COVID-19), or
- asthma, reactive airway or other chronic respiratory disease that requires daily medication for control.
“The approval of Bamlanivimab is an important step in the fight against COVID-19 and reducing hospitalizations related to the virus,” added Dr. Biggs. “We have received 150 doses. In the meantime we have communicated with our primary care and ER physicians the criteria for prospective patients; trained staff on how to administer the drug; and have created a separate unit for patients who’ll receive the medication.
Trident Health will identify prospective patients through its five ERs at Trident Medical Center, Summerville Medical Center, Brighton Park Emergency, Centre Pointe Emergency and Moncks Corner Medical Center and through primary care providers. Palmetto Primary and Specialty Care Physicians and Fetter Health Care Network are the first two primary care providers to participate. The three hour infusion treatment process will be administered only at Trident Medical Center.
For more information on Bamlanivimab go to HHS.