Junshi Biosciences Sinks After US Halts Chinese Firm’s Covid-19 Antibody Therapy

Junshi Biosciences' shares fell as much as 4% after the drugmaker confirmed that distribution of its antibody combination therapy for COVID-19, developed with Eli Lilly, has been suspended in the US, as reported Yicai Global on Monday.

However, Junshi added that the emergency use authorisation for the therapy, which is a single intravenous injection with 1400 milligrams of etesevimab and 700 milligrams of bamlanivimab, has not been cancelled.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that it would stop the therapy's distribution until further notice.

The HHS cited the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that the P.1 variant first seen in Brazil and the South African B.1.351 variant made up over 11% of cases in the country.

Junshi Biosciences said that the antibody combination therapy is effective with other variants of SARS-CoV-2.