DeSantis top donor invests in COVID drug governor promotes

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing disguise mandates and vaccine passports — is present touting a COVID-19 antibody attraction successful which a apical donor's institution has invested millions of dollars.

DeSantis has been flying astir the authorities promoting Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody attraction that was utilized connected then-President Donald Trump aft helium tested affirmative for COVID-19. The politician archetypal began talking astir it arsenic a attraction past year.

Citadel, a Chicago-based hedge fund, has $15.9 cardinal successful shares of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals arsenic good arsenic options to bargain its stock, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has donated $10.75 cardinal to a governmental committee that supports DeSantis — $5.75 cardinal successful 2018 and $5 cardinal past April.

DeSantis ramped up the telephone for Floridians to question retired monoclonal antibody treatments successful August arsenic coronavirus cases spiked. He's held quality conferences astatine attraction sites and a Tampa infirmary touting the effectiveness of the cause if radical person attraction soon aft investigating positive.

“Early attraction with these monoclonal antibodies – Regeneron and others – person proven to radically trim the chances that idiosyncratic ends up being hospitalized,” DeSantis said Monday astatine a attraction tract successful Orlando. “Reducing infirmary admissions has got to beryllium a apical priority.”

Experts hold with him. The drugs, erstwhile fixed wrong 10 days of archetypal symptoms, person been shown to chopped rates of hospitalization and decease by astir 70%.

“We decidedly request treatments similar monoclonal antibodies that tin forestall mild illness from progressing to terrible disease. Ultimately, it’s inactive champion to forestall idiosyncratic from contracting COVID-19 successful the archetypal place,” said Dr. Leana Wen, nationalist wellness prof astatine George Washington University and erstwhile Baltimore Health Commissioner. “Monoclonal antibodies are not prevention.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tested affirmative for COVID-19 connected Tuesday and is receiving Regeneron treatments. Like DeSantis, helium has been opposed to disguise mandates successful nationalist schools. He was vaccinated successful December.

DeSantis has threatened to punish schoolhouse districts that necessitate masks. He's besides opposed to vaccine passports and has had an ongoing ineligible conflict with Norwegian Cruise Lines, which wants to necessitate passengers to amusement impervious of vaccination.

Citadel's concern successful Regeneron is simply a tiny fraction of its wide $39 cardinal successful investments, but if the banal terms were to spell up, Citadel would benefit. DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw points retired that Citadel has acold greater investments successful Moderna and Pfizer, which manufacture COVID-19 vaccines.

But the narration has generated a buzz connected societal media, arsenic Democrats question the relationship.

“Claiming that determination is someway 'corruption' by promoting the baseless governmental communicative that Governor DeSantis supports Regeneron implicit COVID vaccines (completely false, but that is different topic) is not adjacent logically accordant erstwhile you analyse the SEC filing,” Pushaw said successful an email. “Citadel holds acold much shares of Pfizer and Moderna than Regeneron.”

And portion DeSantis has had a precise nationalist warfare of words with Democratic President Joe Biden astir requiring masks successful schools and different microorganism precautions, they some promote monoclonal antibody treatments. A Regeneron attraction costs much than $1,000, portion a vaccine costs astir $25.

“Vaccines forestall superior unwellness from COVID-19. But if idiosyncratic who is unvaccinated gets COVID, oregon a vaccinated idiosyncratic gets a breakthrough infection, those successful hazard categories with comorbidities should see getting aboriginal attraction with Regeneron. It is safe, effective, and escaped of complaint to each patients successful Florida. This should not beryllium a governmental contented -– it’s astir redeeming lives," Pushaw said.

The national authorities is paying for the monoclonal antibody treatments and patients aren't being charged for the antibody cocktail. Florida has acceptable up attraction sites successful Jacksonville, Orlando and Brevard County. The authorities plans to adhd much sites.

Griffin, a billionaire, has donated tens of millions of dollars to different blimpish candidates and governmental committees crossed the country. He was raised successful Florida and is gathering an oceanfront mansion adjacent Trump's Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago resort.

Citadel declined to comment.

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Associated Press writers Kelli Kennedy successful Fort Lauderdale and Paul Harloff successful New York contributed to this report.

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