The Hon. Greg Hunt MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
MEDIA RELEASE
04 October 2021
Australia secures additional supplies of sotrovimab
The Australian Government has increased supplies of the promising COVID-19 treatment sotrovimab with over 15,000 additional doses arriving in Australia over recent days.
Sotrovimab is a novel monoclonal antibody and was approved for use by the TGA on 20 August.
The sotrovimab treatment requires a single dose to be administered through an intravenous (IV) infusion in a health care facility and has been shown to reduce hospitalisation or death by 79 per cent in adults with mild to moderate COVID-19, who are at risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Australia has increased its initial orders of sotrovimab for the National Medical Stockpile from over 7,700 doses to over 31,000 doses, with final deliveries to occur over the coming months.
Securing additional supplies of sotrovimab will provide access to an important early treatment option that will support States and Territories in managing COVID-19. It has the potential to protect Australians from developing serious disease, and reduce hospitalisations and death in people who are at high risk from COVID-19.
Vaccination, however, continues to remain the most important and safest way for Australians to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19.
As with all COVID-19 treatments procured for the Stockpile, this treatment is provided to State and Territory governments as requested. Sotrovimab can then be administered to eligible patients in an appropriate healthcare facility.
This expanded supply of sotrovimab builds on the Australian Government’s ongoing partnership with the supplier GSK Australia.
The Government will continue to engage proactively with treatment developers to provide Australians with access to safe and effective TGA approved COVID-19 treatments.
Medical experts estimate that eight to 15 per cent of adults with COVID-19 will be recommended for treatment with sotrovimab and this treatment must be given within five days of symptoms onset.
-END-