COVID-19: HCG team's find offers hope for treatment

BENGALURU: A three-member team at HCG Hospital in Bengaluru has developed a treatment protocol for Covid-19-positive patients. It is centred on injecting a certain type of cells to strengthen the immune system in the patient’s body.The team is of the view that interferons (IFN) can be administered to the patient at the early stages of the disease. Interferons are a type of cytokine (cyto relating to a cell and kine to movement), or a small molecular substance known for its potent antiviral characteristics.Interferons have the ability to interfere with the virus and stop its multiplication. These specialised signal proteins are released by body cells in response to a viral attack to forewarn other cells. They help build antiviral proteins within the cells to kill the virus, a doctor privy to the studies told ET on condition of anonymity. In patients infected with Covid-19, IFN did not trigger until 48 hours post infection, the team figured out.The team has developed a concoction of cytokines at HCG’s Immunology Lab. “If cytokines are released by the body’s immune system against virus attack, they have been known to be effective against Covid-19 too. Patients infected with Covid are unable to produce them. We have taken the help of healthy donors to make this concoction,” the doctor explained.The team consists of Dr Jyothsna Rao, immunologist, Dr Gururaj Rao, molecular and cell biologist and Dr US Vishal Rao, oncologist. Jyothsna worked under Nobel laureate Dr Ralph Steinman, known for his work in adaptive immunity. “We have used buffy coats to extract these proteins from healthy volunteers and artificially activate them in the sterile lab facility. This will help activate the healthy cells to mount an immune response against the virus. We are trying our best. The big question that lies before us is how will the body respond,” the doctor quoted above said. “We will hopefully create the first set of injections soon for patient use. We have written to the drug controller general and hope to get the initial clearance for expedited review,” he added.When contacted, HCG Group chairman & CEO Dr Ajai Kumar said: “We know interferon is definitely a treatment for this type of viral infection. We believe using this immuno-modulator can save lives. It, however, requires validation through a clinical trial, and we are ready for it if permitted by the regulators.”Karnataka medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar, when contacted, said he was aware of the development, and they are waiting for the drug controller general’s response.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2WVYWCz