On Aug. 3, 2020, Eli Lilly announced the initiation of BLAZE-2, a phase 3 trial studying LY-CoV555 for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in residents and staff at long-term care facilities in the U.S. LY-CoV555, the lead antibody from Lilly’s collaboration with AbCellera, is a neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 among residents of long-term care facilities combined with the higher mortality rate for the elderly created an urgent need for therapies to prevent COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.