Robert Allen, Ph.D.: How Pemgarda Safeguards Against COVID-19

The current COVID-19 vaccines generally provide 40% to 50% protection in immunocompetent individuals during the first six months, with effectiveness declining over time. In immunocompromised individuals, protection can drop to nearly zero within six months. Robert Allen, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Invivyd, noted that data from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting highlighted that beyond 120 to 179 days, vaccine efficacy against hospitalization was only about 1% for immunocompromised people and 15% for those who are immunocompetent. This decline in protection is linked to the vaccine's inability to effectively access immune memory, combined with the emergence of new variants that evade immune responses.

In an interview with The Educated Patient, Allen discussed the promising results from the phase 3 CANOPY study on their COVID-19 prevention option, Pemgarda (pemivibart). The study showed that Pemgarda provided strong protection against symptomatic COVID-19 for up to one year, even without additional doses after the first 90 days.

Developed by Invivyd, Pemgarda offers an alternative approach, Allen explained. Unlike vaccines, it is a monoclonal antibody that prevents the virus from attaching to cells that express the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, effectively blocking infection.

In the first six months, Pemgarda reduced the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 by 84% compared with placebo. Even during months seven to 12, when newer variants were dominant, the drug still lowered the risk by 64%.

While a placebo comparison was not available for the immunocompromised group, low infection rates were observed, closely aligning with the positive results seen in immunocompetent individuals. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated, with only four cases of anaphylaxis reported — less than 1% of participants. To mitigate this risk, infusion time was extended from 30 to 60 minutes, with follow-up monitoring increased to two hours.

“The holidays are coming, and I think as we look to the concerns of immunocompromised individuals in that setting, they want to be able to spend time with their loved ones and they want to do that in a way that feels safe for them,” Allen said. “If COVID-19 is a pathogen that they're worried about in that setting, Invivyd [has] made it possible to access a solution that should provide meaningful protection to them against this particular pathogen.”