Convalescent Plasma Is Looking Like A Coronavirus Success Story

As we await a coronavirus vaccine, the spotlight in COVID-19 treatments is returning to antibodies, the body’s natural defenses against viruses.

On Monday, federal health officials kicked off two large clinical trials of synthetic antibodies to treat mild, moderate, and hospitalized coronavirus cases. A biotech firm is starting a related trial in nursing homes. And the FDA is expected to soon give emergency authorization to treating patients with the “convalescent plasma” of COVID-19 survivors — the part of blood that is rich in antibodies.

While almost no US hospitals were...