Pandemic Therapies

The last two and a half years of the global Covid-19 pandemic have witnessed unprecedented research and development collaboration that has resulted in the availability—in record time—of new vaccines. But with the Covid-19 vaccine coverage in many low- and middle-income countries stuck at low levels, and with new variants threatening the durability of immune protection, therapies have emerged as an important weapon in the pandemic arsenal. When paired with expanded testing, therapies have the ability to reduce the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalizations that can rapidly overwhelm health systems.

Photo Credit: Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images

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Overview

The last two and a half years of the global Covid-19 pandemic have witnessed unprecedented research and development collaboration that has resulted in the availability—in record time—of new vaccines. But with the Covid-19 vaccine coverage in many low- and middle-income countries stuck at low levels, and with new variants threatening the durability of immune protection, therapies have emerged as an important weapon in the pandemic arsenal. When paired with expanded testing, therapies have the ability to reduce the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalizations that can rapidly overwhelm health systems.

To date, the Covid-19 therapies research landscape has shown great promise, with clinical trials of existing and new monoclonal antibodies, antivirals, and drug combinations leading to a diverse set of treatments that have been granted emergency authorization. Yet the impact of those treatments has remained limited by challenges in achieving sustainable production, equitable access, timely delivery, demand, and financing. A much higher level of political and financial commitment is needed to ensure that all populations, in all countries, and at all income levels, have affordable access to Covid-19 tests and treatment, both in order to respond to the immediate needs of the Covid-19 pandemic and lay the groundwork for long-term pandemic preparedness and response.

In the fall of 2021, the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security convened a Covid-19 Therapies Working Group to develop policy recommendations aimed at strengthening U.S. leadership and global action to ensure availability and uptake of Covid-19 therapies worldwide. Drawing on insights gleaned through a series of private meetings and roundtable discussions with pharmaceutical manufacturers, government officials, representatives of multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations, the Working Group will issue a series of analytical products culminating in a final set of recommendations for U.S. policymakers in fall 2022.

This work is made possible by generous support from GlaxoSmithKline.