With no proven treatment for COVID-19, and a vaccine at least 12 months away, scientists and pharmaceutical companies are searching for a shorter-term solution to help treat patients. One promising option is the use of antibody drugs. Four U.S. biotech companies — Amgen, Genetech, Gilead, and Regeneron — are working on experimental drugs. CBS News spoke with Regeneron President and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. George Yancopoulos about the possible treatments for Tuesday’s “CBS Evening News.” Here are our top takeaways from that interview:

1. How do antibody drugs work?

“There are natural signals in the body that drive beneficial immune and inflammatory responses,” Dr. Yancopoulos told us. “The problem is, oftentimes these immune and inflammatory responses can become excessive, and they can create more damage than good. And the hope is, by using this antibody that specifically blocks this one inflammatory pathway, it can …continued .
[Source: CBS News]