Azar touts mAb COVID-19 therapies but NIH isn’t convinced

The Trump administration sent mixed messages about mAbs for COVID-19 Wednesday as HHS Secretary Alex Azar urged the media to encourage Americans to seek the therapies and an NIH panel said there aren’t enough data to recommend their use. Instead of treating their patients with a mAb that has been authorized by FDA, the panel encouraged physicians to refer their patients to placebo-controlled trials of the therapies.

FDA has granted emergency use authorizations for mAb therapies from  Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN) and partners Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE:LLY) and AbCellera Biologics Inc. Operation Warp Speed has purchased the mAbs and is distributing them to state and territorial health departments. ...