ABU DHABI — The UAE's health ministry has announced the treatment results for Sotrovimab, an anti-viral treatment for severe COVID-19 cases in adults, pregnant women and children aged 12 and above who are at risk of progressing to severe symptoms and meet other relevant criteria.

The ministry has approved the use of Sotrovimab, which is produced by global biopharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), after conducting the local evaluation. It has also been approved for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Between June 16-29, Sotrovimab was administered to 658 patients with COVID-19, 46 percent of whom are citizens and 54 percent of whom are residents. About 59 percent of the patients are aged 50 or above.

More than 97.3 percent of recipients showed improvement within five to seven days and, as symptoms subsided, neared full recovery. Patients receiving Sotrovimab fall within at-risk groups due to other comorbidities that have been associated with severe COVID-19, such as obesity, cancer, kidney disease, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and allergies.

Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody treatment delivered through intravenous therapy in accordance with protocols developed by the National Scientific Committee.

The UAE was one of the first countries in the world to receive a shipment of Sotrovimab in mid-June.