A COVID drug used to treat former US president Donald Trump has been approved for UK coronavirus patients.
Ronapreve will be the NHS’s first tailor-made Covid treatment, and is proven to cut deaths and hospital admissions.
Trump described it as a “cure” for the virus when he was struck down with it in October last year.
It works by injecting virus-fighting antibodies into the blood, where they latch on to the coronavirus and stop it getting into cells.
Scientists said the drug was another weapon in the UK’s arsenal and said it could slash the risk of someone going into hospital by 70 per cent.
An Oxford University study found the pricey drug — costing up to £2,000 per patient — could cut the risk of death by up to a fifth in those who do not have natural antibodies. And it can also stop people getting Covid in the first place, so could be given to family members of those who test positive.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We are now working at pace to ensure this treatment can be rolled out to NHS patients as soon as possible.”
Ronapreve, made by the US-based firms Regeneron and Roche, is made from antibodies harvested from those who have already recovered.
Other drugs used to treat seriously ill Covid sufferers were designed for other illnesses years ago.
Although most people have natural antibodies thanks to jabs, it could be used for those who have not had a vaccine or whose immune systems are weak.
After being released from hospital last year, Trump said: “I want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president, because I feel great. I feel perfect.”
