A crazy year got a little crazier on Friday with the news that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. Hours later, we learned that the president was ill enough, with symptoms like fever, to be airlifted to Walter Reed Hospital and treated with an experimental coronavirus drug from pharmaceutical giant Regeneron.
Regeneron shares soared more than 4% after news hours. The drug Trump is taking is a cocktail of antibodies, an approach that other companies like Eli Lilly have been testing to fight COVID with existing products for other conditions that can be treated with these biological protectants.
This is what the president is taking, according to White House doctor Sean Conley through a press release: “Following PCR confirmation of the president’s diagnosis, as a precautionary measure. the infusion without incident. In addition to polyclonal antibodies, the president has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin, and a daily aspirin. “
What you are not taking, or at least not saying you are taking, are questionable products or therapies that you have presented to the public, often to the outright condemnation of public health officials, such as your own Food and Drug Administration. Medications (FDA). ) Chief Scott Gottlieb. Specifically, hydroxychloroquine – the purported malaria miracle cure for coronavirus that Trump has touted numerous times despite the lack of compelling scientific evidence that it can lessen the impact of COVID.
Regeneron published data just two days ago showing that its antibody cocktail can reduce the so-called viral load of the coronavirus, specifically among those who may have symptoms but not be seriously ill. That may explain why Trump and his doctors chose to go this particular therapeutic route.
Other COVID treatments that have shown promise against the pathogen include Gilead’s remdesivir and common steroids like dexamethasone.
