Convalescent Plasma News and Research

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Preliminary Mayo Clinic results from convalescent plasma in 35,322 patients

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 reports the preliminary results of the US Expanded Access Program (EAP) for CP. The EAP aimed to facilitate access to CP as well as to evaluate the safety of this therapy. However, the current study reports the results of an initial assessment of this agent.

14 Aug 2020

De novo designed SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticle vaccine

In light of the continuing threat to public health, social functioning, and economic activity posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists are working urgently to bring out a vaccine that is both safe and effective, and capable of mass production. A new paper published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 shows that such a vaccine may be produced by using arrays of one severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protein on a nanoparticle platform.

14 Aug 2020

Study of 300 COVID-19 patients shows efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy

A preliminary analysis of an ongoing study of more than 300 COVID-19 patients treated with convalescent plasma therapy at Houston Methodist suggests the treatment is safe and effective.

12 Aug 2020

Bereaved families are ‘the secondary victims of COVID-19’

Every day, the nation is reminded of COVID-19's ongoing impact as new death counts are published. What is not well documented is the toll on family members.

12 Aug 2020

Research looks at convalescent plasma use in COVID-19 mouse model

A new study by researchers at the University of Iowa and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the utility of a mouse model that recapitulates several aspects of human COVID-19 and can reflect the antiviral efficacy of new drugs as well.

12 Aug 2020

COVID-19 should be treated as an acute inflammatory disease, Massey scientist says

The COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental effects on global infrastructure sectors, including economic, political, health care, education and research systems, and there is still no definitive treatment strategy for the disease.

5 Aug 2020

Meta-analysis shows 57% mortality reduction with convalescent plasma in COVID-19

Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in July 2020 reports that an older treatment modality, namely, the use of convalescent antibody-rich plasma, brings down the mortality rate in hospitalized COVID-19 patients by an astonishing 57%. This adds evidence for the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of high-risk patients.

1 Aug 2020

Study finds synthetic neutralizing/enhancing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 reports the discovery of some antibody molecules that have powerful enhancing or neutralizing activity against the virus, in a library of synthetic antibodies. These hold the promise of being useful for the prevention or treatment of this illness.

30 Jul 2020

Pitt collaborative receives $7 million to evaluate convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19

A team of University of Pittsburgh, Michigan Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina and Stanford Medicine. researchers recently were awarded funds from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, totaling more than $7 million to collaboratively study the role of convalescent plasma in mitigating symptoms of COVID-19 in patients with mild illness and preventing the progression of the disease from mild to severe.

28 Jul 2020

South Texas Blood & Tissue Center marks three months of using Biolog-id's solution for COVID-19

Biolog-id, LLC, a world leader in connected solutions for blood products, and South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, a leading provider of blood products throughout South Texas and beyond, mark three months of successful utilization of Biolog-id’s dedicated Convalescent Plasma solution in its supply chain.

25 Jul 2020

New tools developed to test the ability of anti-coronavirus antibodies

Researchers at The Rockefeller University in New York have developed new tools to rapidly test the ability of antibodies to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

21 Jul 2020

New assay improves detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have developed a new assay for the detection of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that they say provides significant advantages over the techniques currently used.

20 Jul 2020

Researchers are producing COVID-19 spike proteins to prevent future infections

On July 1, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station's National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing received funding from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals to help find a way to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to cells, protecting people from future infections.

19 Jul 2020

Children with MIS-C have different antibody responses than adults with COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint medRxiv in July 2020 reveals that children with the condition Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) have a distinctly different pattern of antibody generation compared to adults with COVID-19 disease.

16 Jul 2020

Llama nanobodies block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Now, a team of scientists at the United Kingdom's Rosalind Franklin Institute may have a surprising solution for the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 574,000 people worldwide.

14 Jul 2020

Altimmune announces positive preclinical results of intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Altimmune, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has announced positive results from the preclinical studies conducted in mice at the University of Alabama at Birmingham of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate, AdCOVID.

13 Jul 2020

COVID-19 – researchers sum up the “Tsunami” of information

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) infection leading to COVID-19 is a raging pandemic across the world at present. It has infected 13 million and killed 571,000 individuals around the world as of today. The infection was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China in late December 2019.

13 Jul 2020

New clinical trial to assess safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to prevent COVID-19

There is only one approved, specific treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, albeit with modest efficacy.

10 Jul 2020

Novel antibody test for SARS-CoV-2

A team of researchers in the United States have developed highly specific and sensitive assays that could improve understanding of the antibody response in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help to determine the effectiveness of vaccines.

9 Jul 2020

A biomaterial vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 - quick and scalable

A recent 'tour-de-force' research endeavor, led by scientists from Harvard University, explored the propensity of a biomaterial vaccine based on mesoporous silica rods to spawn highly protective humoral responses against relevant antigens of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

8 Jul 2020