The first doses of a new monoclonal antibody are arriving in Pennsylvania.
Government data shows Pennsylvania has received 1,125 doses of bebtelovimab, which was authorized for emergency use by the FDA earlier this month.
Monoclonal antibodies are administered to high-risk patients with a mild or moderate case of COVID-19. The drug can prevent those cases from becoming more severe.
Bebtelovimab is the second monoclonal antibody available that can be effective against the omicron variant of COVID-19.
Dr. Arpit Mehta, director of pharmacy with Allegheny Health Network says the bebtelovimab also appears to be effective against BA.2, a subvariant of omicron. The other monoclonal antibody, sotrovimab, doesn't appear to be as effective against the subvariant.
"The plan is to use our current monoclonal antibody for our patients," he said. "If and when we get to a state where the majority of our patients have the BA.2 variant, based on the CDC data, the Allegheny County Health Department data, that's when we would pivot to using bebtelovimab."
The original omicron variant remains the most prevalent in the United States. According to CDC data, about 4 percent of COVID-19 cases in the country are BA.2. However, the World Health Organization says the variant is steadily increasing in countries like South Africa and the U.K.
Though another monoclonal antibody is now on the table, Mehta says the best form of protection is prevention through vaccine.
"Just because there may be something to treat, doesn't mean we want to get COVID and spread to others who may not be fortunate enough to receive the monoclonal antibody, or maybe the monoclonal antibody will not be effective, and they may end up in the hospital or with a severe disease state anyway," he said. "I think prevention is always the key. The vaccine is always the focus."
Last month, the FDA limited the use of two other monoclonal antibodies over concerns they were not effective against the omicron variant.