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Host-directed therapies for COVID-19
Markus Maeurer1,2, Renata Ramalho3, Fu-Sheng Wang4
1ImmunoSurgery Unit, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
|February 25, 2021
Summary
Host-directed therapies (HDTs) offer a promising approach to manage severe COVID-19 by targeting hyperinflammation. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and anti-interleukin-6 therapies show potential benefits in clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes hyperinflammation, leading to significant mortality and end-organ damage in COVID-19 patients.
- Host-directed therapies (HDTs) aim to modulate the host's immune response rather than directly targeting the virus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review adjunct host-directed therapies (HDTs) for the management of COVID-19.
- To summarize recent findings and the potential of these therapies in reducing mortality and long-term disability.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical trial data for various HDTs.
- Evaluation of therapies targeting cytokine-driven inflammatory cascades.
Main Results:
- Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells demonstrated safety in Phase 1 and 2 trials.
- Anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibodies showed a promising mortality benefit in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- Repurposed drugs and monoclonal antibodies targeting specific cytokines are under active evaluation.
Conclusions:
- A variety of HDTs show potential for reducing mortality and improving long-term outcomes in severe COVID-19.
- Further evaluation in randomized, controlled trials is necessary to establish the efficacy of these promising HDTs.
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