Benzinga | Jan 26, 2021 07:16AM EST

AbCellera Highlights Results Of Lilly Trials Of Bamlanivimab, Notes Bamlanivimab Was Discovered By AbCellera

AbCellera (NASDAQ:ABCL) today announced that bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555) 2800 mg, a human antibody discovered by AbCellera and developed with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), and etesevimab 2800 mg (LY-CoV16) together significantly reduced COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths (collectively, "events") in more than 1,000 high-risk patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

Key details from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled BLAZE-1 Phase 2/3 study are as follows:

* The trial met its primary endpoint and key secondary endpoints with high statistical significance;

* Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together reduced COVID-19 events by 70% versus placebo (p=0.0004); and

* All deaths occurred in patients taking the placebo. No deaths occurred in patients taking bamlanivimab and etesevimab together.

"The data from the BLAZE-1 study are both compelling and entirely consistent with the interim data that were the basis for Emergency Use Authorization of bamlanivimab. They show that if given early in infection, antibody therapy can keep most patients out of hospitals and can save lives," said Carl Hansen, Ph.D., CEO and President of AbCellera. "Together with the recent data reported from the BLAZE-2 trial, no COVID-19 deaths have been observed in these treatment arms in patients treated with bamlanivimab, either alone, or together with etesevimab. It is mission critical that these treatments be made available to high-risk patients as soon as possible."

Interim data from Lilly's Phase 2 BLAZE-1 COVID-19 trial were reported on September 16, 2020 and were the basis for authorizations of bamlanivimab 700 mg in the United States, Canada, and Europe for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients aged 12 and older who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.

Additional details about Lilly's trial are available here.