Eli Lilly’s coronavirus antibody drug, which former New Jersey governor Chris Christie took, was authorized for emergency use by the FDA on Monday.

The experimental drug was authorized to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children who are at high risk of becoming sick enough to require hospitalization, but not patients who are already hospitalized or receiving oxygen. It has not received full approval from the FDA, which would require more rigorous evidence of safety and efficacy.

The treatment, known as bamlanivimab, is a lab-made version of an antibody, one of the immune system’s natural defenders against viruses and other invaders. The synthetic antibody is designed to target the coronavirus spike protein, which enables it to attach to and enter human cells.

Christie, a close ally of President Donald Trump’s, became one of a handful of patients to gain access to the treatment when he was infected with the coronavirus in early October. At around the same time, Trump was receiving a different experimental antibody treatment made by the company Regeneron, later touting it as a “miracle.” Both companies filed for emergency authorization shortly afterward.

The announcement was “exciting” but …continued .
[Source: Buzzfeed]