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Bill Gates says Trump is wrong to call Regeneron's monoclonal antibodies 'a cure' because it 'won't work for everyone' - but admits it's the most promising therapeutic so far

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Bill Gates says Donald Trump is wrong to call monoclonal antibodies treatment a 'cure' for COVID-19, but says it’s the most promising therapeutic in research for now.

'The word "cure" is inappropriate because it won't work for everyone. But of all the therapeutics, this is the most promising,' The Microsoft founder said on Sunday on NBC’s Meet The Press.

Those monoclonal antibodies are being developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, as well as Eli Lilly and other companies, and the drugs mimic antibodies that the immune system naturally produces to fight off viruses and other pathogens.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been active in research for a coronavirus cure.

Bill Gates says Donald Trump is wrong to call monoclonal antibodies treatment a 'cure' for COVID-19, but says it’s the most promising therapeutic in research for now

Bill Gates says Donald Trump is wrong to call monoclonal antibodies treatment a 'cure' for COVID-19, but says it’s the most promising therapeutic in research for now

WATCH: @BillGates explains how the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been “working with the companies doing antibodies” research for Covid-19 treatment. #MTP

Gates: “We’re partnered with Eli Lilly, who with Regeneron, has been the fastest to get these antibodies ready.” pic.twitter.com/P5Fvi12WCF



'We’ve been working with the companies doing antibodies. We reserved factory capacity all the way back in the spring and now we’re partnered with Eli Lilly, who with Regeneron, has been the fastest to get these antibodies ready,' he explained.

'They can reduce the death rate quite a bit,' he added.

Last week President Donald Trump touted monoclonal antibodies as a cure saying he felt better after taking them.

'They call them therapeutic, but to me it wasn’t therapeutic,' Trump said in a video he tweeted Wednesday. 'I call that a cure. It’s a cure.'

His statement came five days after he received Regeneron’s antibody drug cocktail in his COVID-19 treatment.

President Donald Trump touted monoclonal antibodies as a cure saying he felt better after taking them. In a video shared Wednesday he said: 'They call them therapeutic, but to me it wasn’t therapeutic... I call that a cure. It’s a cure'

President Donald Trump touted monoclonal antibodies as a cure saying he felt better after taking them. In a video shared Wednesday he said: 'They call them therapeutic, but to me it wasn’t therapeutic... I call that a cure. It’s a cure'

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT! pic.twitter.com/uhLIcknAjT

Trump returned to the White House on Monday October 5 after spending three days hospitalized at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Maryland for coronavirus.

The monoclonal antibody cocktail is considered experimental because clinical trials are ongoing and it hasn’t been approved for the market by the FDA.

Trump was able to receive it through the FDA’s 'compassionate use' provision, where unapproved drugs are administered to seriously ill patients who have no other treatment options.

While Regeneron has shared promising results of the treatment, which cut the viral load of COVID-19 patients who were not hospitalized, there is no evidence the drug cut the risk of death or 'cured' patients.

Trump resumed public events on Saturday sharing a speech from the White House balcony that his doctor cleared him to return to an active schedule.

The memo from Trump’s physician Dr. Sean Conley said the president met US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for 'the safe discontinuation of isolation', but did not say if Trump has tested negative for the virus yet. 

However, on Sunday Trump claimed he's cured of COVID-19, just over one week after his diagnosis, saying he's now 'immune from the virus'.  

'Once you recover, you're immune,' Trump told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on 'Sunday Morning Futures' in a phone interview. 'Now you have a president that's immune.'

Moments after the interview he tweeted: 'A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can't get it , and can't give it. Very nice to know!!!'

In this May 2020 photo provided by Eli Lilly a researcher tests possible COVID-19 antibodies in a laboratory in Indianapolis

In this May 2020 photo provided by Eli Lilly a researcher tests possible COVID-19 antibodies in a laboratory in Indianapolis

This week Trump has three rallies planned, events that are sparking concern as he still has the virus, with just three weeks to go until the election.

In the Sunday interview Gates warned local politicians against opening large venues without social-distancing measures such as Florida allowing the NFL to fill its stadiums.

'I guess politicians will show what their value system is there. Society should be able to have things like school that get a priority, vs. certain more entertainment-related things,' Gates said.

'The only way we’ll get completely back to normal is by having ... a vaccine that is super effective and that a lot of the people take,' he added.

Gates said he believes 'it’s likely that by early next year that several of these vaccines will get that emergency-use authorization.'

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