The drug, called Evusheld, is intended for people who cannot get a standard vaccine or for whom the vaccines alone do not provide enough immunity.
The drug has not been approved as a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine for most people.
“Both the Public Health Service of Canada and the Health of Canada continue to strongly advocate up-to-date vaccination for all eligible Canadians,” Health Canada said in a press release on Thursday.
While a vaccine effectively teaches the body to produce its own antibodies in a short amount of time, AstraZeneca’s product provides ready-made antibodies to start fighting the virus immediately.
The antibodies are given as two separate injections before exposure to COVID-19.
Drug test data released in November showed an 83 percent reduction in the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19, compared with placebo after about six months.
“For vulnerable populations, such as those with weakened immune systems, Evusheld is helping to address an unmet need in the ongoing fight against COVID-19,” said Kiersten Combs, president of AstraZeneca Canada.
Canada has already signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to receive 100,000 doses this year.
Health Canada has set conditions for the approval of the drug, including the requirement for AstraZeneca to provide up-to-date information on the safety and efficacy of the antibody combination.
The agency said laboratory studies show that Evusheld is expected to neutralize BA.2, a subclass of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is out of control in communities across Canada.
The company says healthcare professionals should consider offering a higher dose of antibodies in areas where Omicron is marketed.
AstraZeneca has been studying the combination as a possible treatment for COVID-19, although the drug has not been approved for this use.
This Canadian Press report was first published on April 14, 2022.