Evusheld will be included in Govnt's supplementary budget

its expenses to be included in the extra budget set by the new administration

₩40 billion for 200,000 people… used to prevent COVID-19 in cancer patients and the immunocompromised

NA agrees on the need for its introduction…will be voted on at the Cabinet Meeting on the 12th

The government is setting out to secure a supplementary budget for the introduction of ‘Evusheld (tixagevimab, cilgavimab),’ an antibody combination treatment used to prevent COVID-19 infection in the immunocompromised that see a low effect from vaccinations.

 

With the National Assembly also agreeing on the need to introduce Evusheld, its introduction will gain momentum as soon as the supplementary budget submitted by the government passes the National Assembly.

 

The government plans to hold a Cabinet Meeting on the afternoon of the 12th to pass the supplementary budget.

 

In the proposed supplementary budget, attention is focused on the budget managed by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency which includes the proposal to introduce Evusheld, an antibody treatment for the immunocompromised.

 

Evusheld is administered to people who show inadequate response to COVID-19 vaccines such as cancer patients and dialysis patients to increase their prevention against COVID-19 infections.

 

The drug was approved in December last year by the US FDA, and in the UK by NHRA in March this year.

 

France, Australia, and Singapore also signed advance purchase agreements for Evusheld as preventive therapy for COVID-19.

 

On the other hand, The Korean government had received criticism for being late in its response because Korea only announced that it will review the introduction of the drug and did not specify when.

 

Accordingly, the government plans to include about ₩40 billion to purchase 20,000 courses of preventive antibody treatments needed for the prevention of infection and serious COVID-19 in the supplementary budget for the immunocompromised.

 

Severe immunocompromised patients, such as organ transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment and blood cancer patients, are eligible for support.

 

If approved, Evusheld’s distribution is not expected to be difficult as Samsung Biologics is currently manufacturing the whole amount.

 

Samsung Biologics has been supplying Evusheld to the global market under the long-term strategic manufacturing partnership signed with AstraZeneca in September 2020.

 

The companies further expanded the size of the contract in December last year to strengthen the strategic partnership