January 24, 2022: REGEN-COV Usage Revisions

REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab) is an unapproved investigational therapy, and there are limited clinical data available. Serious and unexpected adverse events may occur that have not been previously reported with REGEN-COV use

• Contraindication:
  REGEN-COV is contraindicated in individuals with previous severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to REGEN-COV
• Warnings and Precautions:
  • Hypersensitivity Including Anaphylaxis and Infusion-Related Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been observed with administration of REGEN-COV. If signs or symptoms of a clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction or anaphylaxis occur, immediately discontinue administration and initiate appropriate medications and/or supportive therapy. Hypersensitivity reactions occurring more than 24 hours after the infusion have also been reported with the use of REGEN-COV under EUA. Infusion-related reactions, occurring during the infusion and up to 24 hours after the infusion, have been observed with administration of REGEN-COV. These reactions may be severe or life threatening
    • Signs and symptoms of infusion-related reactions may include: fever, difficulty breathing, reduced oxygen saturation, chills, nausea, arrhythmia (e.g., atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia), chest pain or discomfort, weakness, altered mental status, headache, bronchospasm, hypotension, hypertension, angioedema, throat irritation, rash including urticaria, pruritus, myalgia, vasovagal reactions (e.g., pre-syncope, syncope), dizziness, fatigue and diaphoresis. Consider slowing or stopping the infusion and administer appropriate medications and/or supportive care if an infusion-related reaction occurs
  • Clinical Worsening After REGEN-COV Administration: Clinical worsening of COVID-19 after administration of REGEN-COV has been reported and may include signs or symptoms of fever, hypoxia or increased respiratory difficulty, arrhythmia (e.g., atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia), fatigue, and altered mental status. Some of these events required hospitalization. It is not known if these events were related to REGEN-COV use or were due to progression of COVID-19
  • Limitations of Benefit and Potential for Risk in Patients with Severe COVID-19: Monoclonal antibodies, such as REGEN-COV, may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Therefore, REGEN-COV is not authorized for use in patients who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, OR who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19, OR who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19–related comorbidity
• Adverse Reactions:
  • COV-2067 (Treatment): Infusion-related reactions (adverse event assessed as causally related by the investigator) of grade 2 or higher severity have been observed in 10/4,206 (0.2%) of those who received REGEN-COV at the authorized dose or a higher dose. Three subjects receiving the 8,000 mg dose of REGEN-COV, and one subject receiving the 1,200 mg casirivimab and 1,200 mg imdevimab, had infusion-related reactions (urticaria, pruritus, flushing, pyrexia, shortness of breath, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, rash) which resulted in permanent discontinuation of the infusion. All events resolved. Anaphylactic reactions have been reported in the clinical program in subjects receiving REGEN-COV. The events began within 1 hour of completion of the infusion, and in at least one case required treatment including epinephrine. The events resolved
  • COV-2069 (Post-exposure Prophylaxis): In subjects who were SARS-CoV-2 negative at baseline (Cohort A), injection site reactions (all grade 1 and 2) occurred in 55 subjects (4%) in the REGEN-COV group and 19 subjects (2%) in the placebo group. The most common signs and symptoms of injection site reactions which occurred in at least 1% of subjects in the REGEN-COV group were erythema and pruritus. Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 2 subjects (0.2%) in the REGEN-COV group and all hypersensitivity reactions were grade 1 in severity. In subjects who were SARS-CoV-2 positive at baseline (Cohort B), injection site reactions, all of which were grade 1 or 2, occurred in 6 subjects (4%) in the REGEN-COV group and 1 subject (1%) in the placebo group. The most common signs and symptoms of injection site reactions which occurred in at least 1% of subjects in the REGEN-COV group were ecchymosis and erythema
  • COV-2093 (Subcutaneous Dosing): Injection site reactions occurred in 12% and 4% of subjects following single dose administration in the REGEN-COV and placebo groups, respectively. Remaining safety finding following subcutaneous administration in the REGEN-COV group were similar to the safety findings observed with intravenous administration in COV-2067. With repeat dosing, injection site reactions occurred in 252 subjects (35%) in the REGEN-COV group and 38 subjects (16%) in the placebo group; all injection site reactions were grade 1 or 2 in severity. Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 8 subjects (1%) in the REGEN-COV group; and all hypersensitivity reactions were grade 1 or 2 in severity. There were no cases of anaphylaxis
• Patient Monitoring Recommendations: Clinically monitor patients during dose administration and observe patients for at least 1 hour after intravenous infusion or subcutaneous dosing is complete
• Use in Specific Populations:
  • Pregnancy: There are insufficient data to evaluate a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. REGEN-COV should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk for the mother and the fetus
  • Lactation: There are no available data on the presence of casirivimab and/or imdevimab in human milk or animal milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects of the drug on milk production. The development and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for REGEN-COV and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from REGEN-COV or from the underlying maternal condition

Treatment:

REGEN-COV is authorized for the treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.

Limitations of Authorized Use (Treatment)

• REGEN-COV is not authorized for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in geographic regions where infection is likely to have been caused by a non-susceptible SARS-CoV-2 variant based on available information such as variant susceptibility to this drug and regional variant frequency
  • FDA’s determination and any updates will be available at:
    • https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization#coviddrugs
• REGEN-COV is not authorized for use in patients:
  • who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, OR
  • who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19, OR
  • who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity
• Monoclonal antibodies, such as REGEN-COV, may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis:

REGEN-COV is authorized in adult and pediatric individuals (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) for post-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in individuals who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and are:

• not fully vaccinated or who are not expected to mount an adequate immune response to complete SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (for example, individuals with immunocompromising conditions including those taking immunosuppressive medications) and
  • have been exposed to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 consistent with close contact criteria per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or
  • who are at high risk of exposure to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 because of occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in other individuals in the same institutional setting (for example, nursing homes, prisons)

Limitations of Authorized Use (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis)

• REGEN-COV is not authorized for post-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in geographic regions where infection is likely to have been caused by a non-susceptible SARS-CoV-2 variant based on available information such as variant susceptibility to this drug and regional variant frequency
  • FDA’s determination and any updates will be available at:
    • https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization#coviddrugs
• Post-exposure prophylaxis with REGEN-COV is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.
• REGEN-COV is not authorized for pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of COVID-19

REGEN-COV has not been approved, but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA

These uses are authorized only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner

Healthcare providers should review the Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers for information on the authorized uses of REGEN-COV and mandatory requirements of the EUA and must comply with the requirements of the EUA. The FDA Letter of Authorization is available for reference, as well as the Dear Healthcare Provider Letter and Patient Fact Sheet

Criteria for Identifying High Risk Individuals

Please refer to the Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers for criteria for identifying high risk individuals.

Reporting Adverse Events

• The prescribing healthcare provider and/or the provider's designee are responsible for mandatory reporting of ALL MEDICATION ERRORS and ALL SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS potentially related to REGEN-COV. These adverse events must be reported within 7 calendar days from the onset of the event
• Healthcare facilities and providers must report therapeutics information and demonstrate adequate utilization via data reported through HHS Protect, Teletracking or National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) as directed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• MedWatch adverse event reports can be submitted to the FDA here, by submitting a postage-paid Form FDA 3500 and returning by mail/fax, or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088 to request a reporting form. In addition, please provide a copy of all FDA MedWatch forms to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc via fax (1-888-876-2736) or email ([email protected])

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Monoclonal Antibody COVID-19 Infusion. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/covid-19/monoclonal-antibody-covid-19-infusion. Accessed August 25, 2021.

2. Medicaid. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/disaster-response-toolkit/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/index.html. Accessed August 25, 2021.

3. Health Resources & Services Administration. FAQs for COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment and Vaccine Administration. https://www.hrsa.gov/coviduninsuredclaim/frequently-asked-questions. Accessed August 25, 2021.

4. Update: Change in the Distribution Process of COVID-19 mAbs. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ASPR Slide Deck. Accessed September 13, 2021.

1. O’Brien MP, Forleo Neto E, Musser BJ. Subcutaneous REGEN-COV antibody combination to prevent COVID-19. N Engl J Med. Published online August 4, 2021. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2109682.

1. COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment guidelines. National Institutes of Health.

https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/. Accessed August 17th, 2021.

1. Weinreich DM, et al. N Engl J Med. 2021. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2108163.