A Japanese research team consisting of scientists from Kyoto University and Fujita Health University has developed a new drug against COVID-19 based on immune cells synthesized from stem cells.
The team plans to conduct a clinical trial within three years on patients who are immunosuppressed due to chemotherapy and who suffer from severe symptoms of COVID-19, the scientists explained.
Kyoto University has filed a patent application before developing the drug on a large scale.
“Although COVID-19 has become a less dangerous disease, it is still terrifying for some patients,” said team leader Hiroshi Kawamoto, director of the Institute of Medical and Life Sciences at Kyoto University, in a statement from the institution.
The new treatment is based on cytotoxic T lymphocytes, also known as ‘killer cells’ for their ability to destroy other cells infected by microorganisms, and in this case artificially created by the research team from induced pluripotent stem cells.
Proven effectiveness
The cells, developed to reduce the risk of rejection by patients, have genes with ‘sensor’ functions to detect proteins unique to the new coronavirus.
The group of scientists confirmed its effectiveness by culturing the synthetic cells alongside those infected with the new coronavirus, of which around 90% were eliminated after twelve hours.
The research team also includes members from Osaka University and the National Center for Child Health and Development in Japan, who plan to conduct tests on mice to determine the safety of the treatment and believe the new technology could be useful in combating other deadly viral diseases.
In the clinical trial, the artificially grown cells will be administered intravenously, Kawamoto said, adding that the risk of serious side effects, such as those seen with immunological therapies, is low.
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