After US President Donald Trump praised the drug Regeneron as a lifesaver, covid patients are now asking to join clinical trials of the antibody-based drug COVID-19. President Trump posted a video Wednesday saying he was treated with an experimental therapy from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, and on Wednesday promised to make it free to Americans while promoting its benefits.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it has asked federal regulators to authorize its antibody treatment to Covid-19 for emergency use.
President Donald Trump received the antibody cocktail last Friday under a compassionate use program after falling ill with the coronavirus.
Combination of two monoclonal antibodies
REGN-COV2 is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies and was specifically designed to block the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“To develop REGN-COV2, Regeneron scientists evaluated thousands of fully human antibodies produced by the company’s VelocImmune® mice, which have been genetically modified to have a human immune system, as well as identified human antibodies that have been recovered from COVID-19. “, Said the statement from the pharmaceutical company.
Late last month, Regeneron reported preliminary results of a trial showing the cocktail could reduce virus levels in coronavirus patients outside of the hospital.
Free drug for Americans
In a statement, the company said that under its agreement with the US government, if the US Food and Drug Administration grants an emergency authorization, the government would make the initial doses available to the American people without cost and would be responsible for its distribution.
Regeneron said he currently has doses available for approximately 50,000 patients and hopes to have doses available for 300,000 patients in the coming months.
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