Omicron may sideline two leading drugs against COVID-19

Omicron may sideline two leading drugs against COVID-19

FILE - This Oct. 14, 2015 file photo shows the Food and Drug Administration campus in Silver Spring, Md. On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the FDA said it has sent warning letters to three companies for marketing adulterated and misbranded COVID-19 antibody tests. The companies targeted by FDA include: Medakit Ltd. of Hong Kong, Antibodiescheck.com of the United Arab Emirates and Sonrisa Family Dental D.B.A. My COVID19 Club of Chicago. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The rapidly-spreading omicron variant may soon leave U.S. doctors without two of the standard treatments they’ve used to fight COVID-19. Antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly have been the go-to drugs to keep patients out of the hospital. But the drugmakers have warned that their infused medications are far less potent against the latest variant. A third drug from GlaxoSmithKline appears more effective. But it’s not widely available in the U.S. For now, federal officials are stockpiling doses for use in coming weeks. Experts predict omicron could dominate the U.S. outbreak by early next year.

Photo: FILE – This Oct. 14, 2015 file photo shows the Food and Drug Administration campus in Silver Spring, Md. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)