The European Medicines Agency has authorised the use of AstraZeneca Plc's antibody drug for preventing Covid-19 infections in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age, reports Reuters.

The treatment is meant for adults whose immune system is too weak to respond to vaccines and offers a new tool to ease the pandemic burden on healthcare systems.

The recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is set to be confirmed swiftly by the European Commission, which has the final word on market access.