Of all the therapies doctors have administered to coronavirus positive President Donald Trump, the experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail is "the only significant thing." This was stated to AGI by Silvio Garattini, pharmacologist and president of the Mario Negri Institute. Trump's "it is a very special case for the role it plays. We do not know at what stage the virus is and we do not know if they have told us everything ”, Garattini commented.
Meanwhile, the White House has announced that the president running for the second term is being treated with an innovative therapy developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, "a set of polyclonal antibodies, or - explained Garattini - extracted and purified from the serum of people convalescents ".
The drug is still in very early clinical trials. But what are the risks of an experimental therapy?
“All experiments carry dangers, it is inherent. Trump also has risk factors related to health problems and age. We don't know how severe it is but for sure it is not asymptomatic. Certainly the doctors have judged that it is worth taking the risk of a drug not yet tested compared to the expected benefits ".
The president is also being given Remdesivir antiviral and dietary supplements, namely zinc and vitamin D, as well as melatonin, the daily aspirin, and famotidine, an antacid.
"Remvdesivir is the standard treatment but does not reduce mortality but only a few days' hospitalization. Instead of 15 days you can stand 11 ″. Not only. "At present there are no data to know if the antiviral can work together with polyclonal antibodies or if the two drugs go into conflict".
The rest of the therapy, the supplements, "are just add-on products to show that something is being done." Melatonin "is used as a sedative although there is no evidence that it is really effective." Famotidine “has no meaning from the point of view of fighting the virus”. Overall "there is no scientific evidence that supplements strengthen the body"