DOD funds earmarked for additional monoclonal antibodies doses

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company have secured Department of Defense (DOD) contracts to produce additional doses of monoclonal antibodies to block the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2.

Authorities indicated the $3.2 billion total allotment is in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — adding the effort was spearheaded by the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, Army Contracting Command, and HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

The initiative is funded by BARDA through the American Rescue Plan Act to supply critical medical resources to the nation, per authorities.

Officials said Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was awarded a $2.9 billion pact to generate additional doses of REGEN-COV, which combines two monoclonal antibodies, casirivimab and imdevimab, to block the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Regeneron is slated to begin delivery of the additional 1.4 million doses in September 2021 and complete delivery by January 2022.

Additionally, officials said DOD awarded a $329.8 million contract modification to Eli Lilly and Company for additional doses of etesevimab — noting it is used with bamlanivimab to treat COVID-19 patients. Eli Lilly is scheduled to deliver 388,000 additional doses in September 2021 while completing delivery by November 2021.