Lilly, UnitedHealth in real-world study of COVID-19 med in diverse high-risk population

 

• Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) will team up with UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) on a pragmatic study of bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555) in a large diverse population of high-risk COVID-19-infected people.
• A pragmatic study is designed to assess the effectiveness of an intervention in real-life practice conditions.
• The large-scale study will draw on UNH's health benefits business and its Optum health services business to detect and treat high-risk symptomatic patients who test positive for COVID-19, including daily symptom tracking, in-home SARS-CoV-2 testing and in-home infusion services. Bamlanivimab will be administered via home infusions to allow for quarantining.
• Medicare Advantage members who meet FDA-authorized criteria for treatment will be invited to volunteer for the study through United in Research, UNH's virtual community and technology platform for citizen scientists.
• Those who volunteer and are in an area where they can receive treatment will be directed to download Optum's symptom-checking ProtectWell app and complete a daily questionnaire. Participants experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 will take an in-home SARS-CoV-2 test which they will self-administer and return. Those that are COVID-19 positive will receive outreach from an Optum Infusion Pharmacy nurse to schedule a home infusion treatment of bamlanivimab.
• The study will enroll up to 500,000 people, with at least 5,000 people expected to receive bamlanivimab therapy.
• The FDA signed off on emergency use of the antibody on November 9 for pediatric and adult patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms.
• https://seekingalpha.com/news/3641707-lilly-partners-unitedhealth-on-real-world-study-of-covidminus-19-med-in-diverse-high-risk