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“I think we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Greek-American George Jankopoulos, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals co-founder, president and head of scientific research, in an exclusive interview with NEA. A company that is likely to keep in its medical “treasure” one of the solutions in humanity’s battle against the coronavirus. And since US President Donald Trump has already successfully tested the experimental antibody “cocktail” created by drug giant George Yankopoulos and Regeneron co-founder Leonard Slyfer, they seem to be worth billions today. .
George Giankopoulos and his team have discovered and developed the best drugs in recent years, including the drug for Ebola.
Do you see hope today in the coronavirus crisis?
I have always hoped and believed that our scientific community, all academics, but also scientists from biotech companies like Regeneron and other pharmaceutical companies, would rise to the challenge and would tirelessly and fully dedicate themselves to creating new drugs to combat this crisis. I think we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
What can you tell us about the “antibody cocktail” that you developed and that has already been given to the President of the United States as a treatment? When will the tests begin with a greater number of volunteers?
As we all know, infection by this (or any other) virus is a battle between the virus itself that occupies the patient’s body and the immune system that fights to kill it, with the weapon of course of our well-known antibodies. Most people create their own antibodies quickly, kill the virus, and thus win the battle and recover well and quickly. However, some people do not succeed and their body does not produce enough antibodies, or does not make them fast enough, causing the virus to multiply within them, with serious consequences that can mean that they are sick, need treatment or even worse.
Over the past 20 years, we have developed innovative technologies to produce the best possible antibodies simulating those normally produced by the human body (or antibody-like therapies). We make them outside the body, in large bioreactors. We then collect and “clean” the result and return it to patients in the form of antibody treatments. Our work and this approach have resulted in some of the most important and safest medicines in the world, such as EYLEA for the fight against blindness, DUPIXENT for allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis, PRALUENT for the prevention of heart disease. diseases and much more for cancers and other diseases. 
We recently used the same technologies to create an Ebola-specific “antibody cocktail” that turned out to be a lifesaver, making it the first FDA-approved treatment for the virus. Now we are introducing a new “antibody cocktail” for COVID19, and last week we had the results of clinical trials in patients who had higher levels of the virus in their blood and who were likely at higher risk of losing the battle. given by her body to him. The results showed that we could quickly and significantly reduce the levels of the virus in her body, about 100 times in less than a week. And, as with previous antibody treatments, the treatment seemed very safe and tolerable by the body. So when the president’s team was considering what would be the best and safest options for him, they turned to our “antibody cocktail” to give it to him, as the best possible chance for his body to win the battle against the virus.
So, do you think we are close to the solution that the entire planet is waiting for?
I think our results and treatment with the antibody “cocktail” give us a lot of hope. Still, even if our antibody “cocktail” proves safe and effective as a treatment, as well as a preventive measure for patients at highest risk, we will of course need vaccines against the virus, which can be administered to hundreds of millions. if not billions of people. I believe that the scientific and pharmaceutical communities bring hope on all fronts.
Do you also collaborate with scientists and researchers in Greece?
We always talk and exchange views with scientists and prominent representatives of the medical community in Greece, on this and other important projects.
In this day and age, scientists are often in a rush to make announcements. Do you think this inevitably leads to movements like the “negatives” in science?
Sometimes, of course, the results are announced prematurely or give false hope. That is why I think it is very important to study all the information that has been collected. My Regeneron co-founder, Len Schleifer, and I are physician-scientists, as is our distinguished and respected chairman, who serves as a role model for all of us, Roy Vagelos. We remain the only large pharmaceutical company founded and run by physician-researchers. That is why we have always remained true to the high ethical standards of our science with results that I consider impeccable and unquestionable. We have had many successes and have manufactured more important new drugs in our own laboratories in the last ten years than any other company. Consequently, I think that when it comes to our company, there is a lot of confidence in what we announce when we make our findings public.
What would be your advice to the Greek government in the current health crisis?
Promote the best methods and approaches to control the spread of infection: from wearing a mask and maintaining social distance, to sampling tests and following up on patient contacts. At the same time, always stay true to science and facts so you can make the best decisions.
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