Miyagi Prefecture and Tohoku University Hospital have set up an Antibody Cocktail Therapy Centre in Sendai.

The treatment, which involves artificial monoclonal antibodies administered through an intravenous drip, is aimed at preventing patients with mild COVID-19 from becoming seriously ill.

Doctors, nurses and pharmacists from Tohoku University Hospital and six other hospitals across the prefecture, will provide the treatment, which involves administering a “cocktail” of bamlanivimab and etesevimab artificial monoclonal antibodies through an intravenous drip. Patients must be treated within seven days of contracting COVID-19 and have mild symptoms.

“According to the result of the trials, we are hoping that this treatment will help prevent patients with minor COVID-19 symptoms from becoming seriously ill,” said Deputy Director of Tohoku University Hospital Chikashi Ishioka, who will also serve as the director of the Antibody Cocktail Therapy Centre.

“If it works, it can help reduce the burden on our hospitals and medical resources. The hospitals can then concentrate on treating serious cases of COVID-19 and other general practice.”

The Antibody Cocktail Therapy Centre began operations on September 6, and is located on the second floor of the APA Hotel TKP Sendai, near the station. Other parts of the hotel are being used as a Residential Treatment Facility by patients who have contracted COVID-19 but are not ill enough to be hospitalized.

The centre can treat up to 16 people a day, Patients must be referred by the Miyagi Prefecture Medical Coordination Headquarters, and give explicit consent before receiving treatment.