US To Ship Over 80,000 Covid-19 Antibody’s Once Available

Just one day after the Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of bamlanivimab to treat patients with COVID-19, the government reportedly has 80,000 doses ready to ship out.

Alex Azar, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, says the drug will be shipped this week to states with the highest number of cases and hospitalizations.

The government has already committed to purchase 300,000 doses, which will cost $375 million, Azar says.

Developed by Eli Lilly, bamlanivimab is an antibody that acts like an immune system’s response to COVID-19.

While it doesn’t cure patients, it reduces the amount of time they’re sick and lowers their chances of dying.