Doctors Break Down How Experimental Antibody Cocktail Administered To President Trump Fights COVID-19
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- President Donald Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 early Friday morning, is getting an experimental antibody cocktail in addition to his current treatment plan.
That plan includes taking zinc, vitamin D, melatonin, and famotidine, which is used to treat heartburn.
The antibody cocktail REGN-COV2 is still experimental, but the company's CEO says it's shown promise in clinical trials.
RELATED STORY: CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez Reports How President Trump's Risk Factors Could Affect Coronavirus Prognosis
White House doctors requested and were given compassionate use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to administer a dose to the president.
The antibodies are manufactured in a laboratory and given by intravenous infusion, CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez explains.
"It's a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies that work together to really glom onto that virus and effectually make it impossible for the virus to get in your cells," said Dr. Len Schleifer, co-founder and CEO of Regeneron. "We're just trying to mimic the natural immune system."
Aside from his age and gender, the president has other COVID health risks. His last physical showed a body fat composition, or BMI, of 30.5, just inside the obese category.
"What our antibodies do is we make it a fairer fight," Schleifer said.
RELATED STORY: Gov. Murphy Says Attendees Should 'Take Every Precaution' Following President Trump's Fundraiser In Bedminster, N.J.
Still, the president's medical team will be cautious.
Dr. Mark Jarrett is deputy chief medical officer at Northwell Health, the hospital system that's treated nearly 85,000 COVID patients.
"There is some evidence that using multiple drugs may be actually more harmful than just using one or two, so I think his physicians will look carefully at their options," Jarrett said.
Other treatment options could include antivirals, like remdesivir. Steroids are also very effective if the lungs develop severe inflammation, but a ventilator is a last resort, as there are now less invasive ways to deliver oxygen.
You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here.
