Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said a single dose of its antibody cocktail reduced the risk of contracting Covid-19 by 81.6 per cent in a late-stage trial, in the two to eight months period following the drug's administration.

Shares of the company were up about 1.2pc on the update as the data is expected to support the ongoing regulatory review to extend therapy's use in preventing Covid-19 in people who are not exposed to the virus, Reuters reported.

The antibody therapy, REGEN-COV, is currently authorised in the United States to treat people with mild-to-moderate Covid-19 and for prevention of infection in those exposed to infected individuals, and others at high risk of exposure in settings such as nursing homes or prisons.