Yesterday, the Associated Press’ Matthew Perrone reported a possible setback for a couple of COVID19 treatments, including Regeneron.
Omicron may sideline two leading drugs against COVID-19 (from @AP) https://t.co/25oJ4zZI7r
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) December 20, 2021
As strained U.S. hospitals brace for a new surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the fast-spreading omicron variant, doctors are warning of yet another challenge: the two standard drugs they’ve used to fight infections are unlikely to work against the new strain.
For more than a year antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly have been the go-to treatments for early COVID-19, thanks to their ability to head off severe disease and keep patients out of the hospital.
But both drugmakers recently warned that laboratory testing suggests their therapies will be much less potent against omicron, which contains dozens of mutations that make it harder for antibodies to attack the virus. And while the companies say they can quickly develop new omicron-targeting antibodies, those aren’t expected to launch for at least several months.
The fact that Regeneron may not be as effective against the omicron variant as it’s been against others is noteworthy enough. But Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary Christina Pushaw finds something else noteworthy, too:
Oh cool, now the @ap calls Regeneron a “leading drug against COVID-19.” 🤡 https://t.co/9WhzcxqECc
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 (@ChristinaPushaw) December 20, 2021
Things sure have changed, haven’t they? Recall this past August, when the AP was entertaining the idea that DeSantis was promoting sketchy Regeneron in some kind of quid pro quo scheme because one of his top donors had invested money in Regeneron, making DeSantis shady AF and not to be trusted.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates, is now touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor's company has invested millions of dollars. DeSantis has been promoting the treatment as virus cases spike. https://t.co/0TwgYlONVh
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2021
Pushaw called out the AP then.
Ron DeSantis fires back at @AP for complaining that his press secretary called them out for publishing a misleading hit piece on him. pic.twitter.com/zTdinJkfso
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) August 23, 2021
Just like she’s calling out the AP now.
But wait! Wasn't it snake oil to make the governor rich a couple of months ago? Just can't keep up 🤪
— Sherry Ward (@sward1458) December 20, 2021
We’ve got whiplash.
And Pushaw’s got one last question for the AP:
DID THE AP BUY STOCK IN REGENERON?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 (@ChristinaPushaw) December 20, 2021
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