With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1095: Cytotoxic T Cell Therapy Might Be Possible in COVID-19

Cytotoxic T cell therapy may be possible in patients with COVID-19, despite there being a potential obstacle.

The approach involves treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with T-lymphocytes obtained from donors who recovered from the disease.

However, steroids, being increasingly used to treat these patients, are toxic to lymphocytes, likely negating any beneficial effects of the immunotherapy.

In a report posted on bioRxiv ahead of peer review, investigators describe a possible method of overcoming this problem.

According to the researchers, they have identified a way to take donor T cells that target the novel coronavirus and make them resistant to the harmful effects of steroids, stated co-author Dr. Katy Rezvani of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

[Source: https://bit.ly/3hNL83x bioRxiv, online September 15, 2020.]

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA