Regeneron antibodies in demand after Trump treatment
Patients are asking to join clinical trials of antibodybased COVID-19 drugs after U.S. President Donald Trump was treated last week with an experimental therapy from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., and on Wednesday he promised to make it free to Americans while touting its benefits.
Medical experts said more data is needed to assess the treatment’s efficacy before wider use should be allowed.
Trump was discharged from the hospital late on Monday, just a few days after being diagnosed with COVID-19 that caused enough lung inflammation for blood oxygen levels to fall.
According to his doctor, blood tests on Monday detected infection-fighting antibodies, which a Regeneron spokesperson said were probably from the treatment.
The company said on Wednesday that it has submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its antibody combination.
In a video shot outside the White House, Trump credited the Regeneron therapy for his feeling much better than when he was first diagnosed and said he would push for EUAs of that treatment and others like it. He mistakenly said the drug was called Regeneron.
Regeneron’s drug is a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies — manufactured copies of antibodies that are one of the main weapons the immune system generates to fight infections.
The company so far has released some early data pointing to the promise of its therapy for COVID-19, and doctors were concerned Trump’s treatment and subsequent promotion could put pressure on regulators.