A new cancer drug could improve the prognosis for patients whose lungs have been severely damaged by COVID-19. PHOTO BY ENGIN AKYURT/UNSPLASH
A new cancer drug could improve the prognosis for patients whose lungs have been severely damaged by COVID-19.
Scientists from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) have discovered that a new type of cell therapy called agenT-797 could be beneficial for those with acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS).
ARDS is a life-threatening disease that occurs when a person’s lungs are not working properly – and has been observed in those who suffered a serious COVID-19 infection.
While agenT-797 is primarily being developed to treat people with cancer, the research team at ARU decided to investigate its uses for other illnesses.
They carried out trials on 20 mechanically ventilated patients who were suffering with severe ARDS as a result of COVID-19 and found that agenT-797 prompted an anti-inflammatory response – potentially encouraging the patient’s immune system to fight infection.
Of the patients in the trial, 70 percent survived at 30 days – compared to a control group of 10 percent.
Those who received the highest dosage of agenT-797 were also 80 percent less likely to develop bacterial pneumonia than those who received the lowest dosage.
The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, explained that the cell therapy worked by essentially rescuing ‘exhausted’ T cells and prompting an anti-inflammatory response.
This activates anti-viral immunity, which helps patients fight infection and reduces severe, pathogenic lung inflammation.
Lead author Justin Stebbing, professor of Biomedical Sciences at ARU, commented: “During this small, exploratory study we observed that the cell treatment, which is also being advanced for people with cancer, triggered an anti-inflammatory response in ARDS patients.
“Despite a poor prognosis, critically ill patients treated with this therapy showed favorable mortality rates and those treated at the highest dose also had reduced rates of pneumonia.
“This underscores the potential application of agenT-797 in treating viral diseases and infections more broadly.”
He added that agenT-797 had a more favorable safety profile than other forms of cell therapy – and had a quick manufacture time.
“AgenT-797 was manufactured rapidly and as opposed to using patients’ own cells, it is ‘off-the-shelf’ and made from healthy donors’ cells,” Professor Stebbing explained.
“The potential of this therapy to be used across a number of severe infections warrants randomized controlled trials.”
Dr. Marc van Dijk, Chief Scientific Officer at MiNK and co-author of the study added: “These published findings reinforce the unique power and potential of iNKT cells to mitigate severe acute respiratory distress.
“The data demonstrates agenT-797’s encouraging survival benefit, ability to help clear secondary infections, and tolerable administration in ventilated patients and those on VV-ECMO support.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
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