The Ministry of Public Health acquired a new high-cost drug for the treatment of COVID-19, which prevents the admission of patients to intensive care.

Regen-Cov combines the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, two types of potent virus-neutralizing antibodies, provided by Roche.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, said that the country is the first in Latin America to obtain this drug with an initial investment of 85 million pesos.

“The drug acts as a rehabilitator and prevents the patient from reaching severity, thanks to the prompt decision of the President of the Republic to acquire it, being the first country in the region to obtain this drug,” expressed Rivera.

“It is available in the country, and the combination prevents the virus from affecting healthy cells. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Digemaps registry. It is a neutralizing antibody.

He added that it avoids morbidity of 20 percent, 75% in outpatient of which the patient can be hospitalized.

However, the Health Minister recommended applying the three doses of vaccines against Covid-19 to avoid hospitalization.

The drug will be available starting this Wednesday in the emergency areas of the health centers:

Hospital Docente Dr. Francisco E. Moscoso Puello
Dr. Marcelino Vélez Santana General Regional Hospital
President Estrella Ureña Regional University Hospital
José María Cabral y Báez Regional University Hospital