Health Canada approves AstraZeneca’s Evusheld drug for COVID-19 prevention

Health Canada has approved British drugmaker AstraZeneca’s antibody-based treatment for preventing COVID-19.

The national health agency authorized the drug Evusheld on Thursday for use in people above the age of 12 who are immunocompromised or for whom COVID-19 vaccination is not recommended.

People cannot be infected with COVID-19 or have had a close contact with someone testing positive while taking Evusheld, according to Health Canada.

Health Canada has authorized AstraZeneca’s Evusheld for the prevention of #Covid19 in immune compromised adults and children over 12 (weighing at least 40 kg) who may not respond well to vaccination: https://t.co/bYBLRIWHyW

— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) April 14, 2022

While vaccines depend on an intact immune system to create targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, Evusheld has lab-made antibodies designed to stay in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.

The therapy has already been authorized in the United States and the European Medicines Agency is also recommending the use of Evusheld.