FDA halts use of antibody drugs that don’t work vs. omicron

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials say COVID-19 antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly should no longer be used because they don’t work against the omicron variant. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it is revoking emergency authorization for both drugs. If they prove effective against future variants, the FDA says it can reauthorize their use. The move was expected because both drugmakers had previously said their drugs are less effective against omicron. Still, the federal action could trigger pushback from some Republican governors who have continued promoting the drugs against the advice of health experts.