Grifols starts production of COVID-19 prevention drug

Grifols (NSDQ:GRFS) announced today that it began production of its anti-SARS-CoV-2 hyperimmune immunoglobulin with specific antibodies for combating COVID-19.

Barcelona-based Grifols touts the prevention drug, developed from the plasma of people who have overcome the disease, as the first specific drug developed to fight COVID-19, according to a news release.

The company is producing the potential anti-COVID-19 therapy in a collaboration agreement with the FDA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority (BARDA) and other U.S. healthcare agencies. It is also moving forward to establish collaborations in Europe.

Grifols is producing the hyperimmune immunoglobulins at its Clayton, N.C., facility and anticipates the first doses to be available next month as part of a clinical trial.