StemCell Therapy

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States like Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Chhatisgarh have said that passengers entering to the states even on domestic flights will be quarantined

The Shramik Special trains are being operated primarily on the requests of the states which want to send the migrant workers to their home states. The Railways is bearing 85 per cent of the total cost of running each of the trains while the rest is being borne by the states. Out of the 2,570 trains, 505 are yet to reach their destination, while 2,065 trains have completed their journey.

The doctor at Tanda Medical College in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh who was earlier tested COVID-19 positive, was reported negative on Saturday, said CMO Kangra Dr Gurdarshan Gupta. "One more COVID patient, a doctor at Tanda medical college reports negative, will be kept in home isolation for the next 7 days," said the Kangra CMO.

India will try to restart a good percentage of international passenger flights before August, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday, three days after announcing resumption of domestic flights from May 25. All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 25 when the Modi government imposed a lockdown to contain the novel cornavirus pandemic.

- Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

The government stated that people coming from other cities would be asked to be home quarantined if they do not show any symptoms of the lethal infection.

- Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

- Satya Pal Malik, Goa Governor on future of tourism in the state

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Coronavirus Live Updates: Highest ever spike of 6,654 cases and 137 deaths in last 24 hours - Economic Times

Theres a lot to discuss this week and most of it isnt so bad theres a pervasive sense that the human race is picking itself up and dusting itself off. Pain and sadness are still very much on tap, but the world has changed and were starting to accept it, figure out how to make it work, tap into our inner Delores (fromWestworld) and architect a new reality. If were lucky, when this is all over itll turn out to have been a savage plot twist, and we can go back to worrying about all the things we worried about before we had real things to worry about.

Todays Coronavirus Briefing is 1,330words and will take you seven minutes to read.Click here to sign up for the newsletter.

Ideally, every country would share best practices with every other country when it comes to lifting lockdowns and reopening businesses, making the slogan were all in this together ring true.This is not going to be the Summer of Love. Dont take hydroxychloroquine without a medical reason.

Some new technologies are coming down the pike that, even in these early stages, give one some hope.

We may be tired of hearing it, but testing matters.

How were talking to our friends, employees, coworkers and families about the pandemic and the havoc its wreaking on us, matters.

Dont support Big Tobacco, unless theyreusing their plants to create a vaccine.

Some interesting, concerning and helpful statistics.

How is flying on a plane, like packing into a restaurant or bar, not simply a form of Russian Roulette?

We miss our squads. We need our tribes. Our social lives, reformulated with restrictions, are better than eternal solitaire.

Tailgating is the new black.

We may not go tripping through the desert in our festival finest this summer, but if we close our eyes and listen, we can dream.

Peace out and see you tomorrow.

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Coronavirus Briefing: Umbilical cord treatments, counter-narratives and tailgating - PRWeek

This Thursday will mark exactly 10 years since journalist Elly Abongo succumbed to colon cancer in Nairobi. He died just days after being featured in Daily Nations Living magazine, narrating his struggles with the disease.

His widow, Joyce Wambui, and daughter, Lakita Abongo, will be marking the anniversary in India. Since January, they have been at the Medanta Hospital in New Delhi where the 13-year-old Lakita is being treated for cancer of the bones.

CELL TRANSPLANT

Her right leg was amputated at the hip in March and she is now awaiting a stem cell transplant to as medics seek to ensure that the cancer, called osteosarcoma in technical terms, is banished from her body.

Hers is a hereditary condition. Tests by medics on Lakitas blood showed that she had inherited a syndrome that increases chances of a person contracting cancer.

She tested positive for Li-Fraumeni syndrome. That one makes someone be more susceptible to different types of cancer. So, that can run in the family, Ms Wambui told the Sunday Nation on Friday.

She explained that the death of Mr Abongos mother and two siblings might have been due to the predisposition to cancer, though it had not been established as such.

In Lakitas case, the cancer began with pain in the leg, which they tried managing but it just couldnt go away. Several scans later, it was discovered that she has osteosarcoma, which was manifesting itself as a tumour. The cancer forms in the cells that form bones.

LOSS OF LEG

One of the interventions done was to remove the affected part. In its place, a metallic blade was introduced to ensure the leg still supported the body.

But during the examination in January, it was discovered that the tumour was not responding to chemotherapy.

They did a scan and found out that the chemo wasnt working. When they analysed the site of the tumour, there was no other option but an amputation, said Ms Wambui.

To place further stops on the cancer, which doctors have deemed aggressive, medics have recommended a stem cell transplant. This weekend, doctors have been harvesting cells from her body to be reconditioned and later returned to her body.

If all goes according to plan, the transplant is scheduled for May 18. But that depends on whether they will have raised the Sh4.9 million required for the procedure, an amount that the family is asking well-wishers to contribute.

LOSS OF DADDY

If there is no money, they will continue with chemotherapy until we get money for a stem cell transplant, said Ms Wambui.

Lakita, Standard Eight pupil at Juja Preparatory, said it has not been easy dealing with the loss of a leg.

Sometimes I just feel like my leg is there, but its not. I reach out to touch it, but its not there, she said.

She hopes all financial hurdles will be cleared soon so that she can return to Kenya by June.

(I wish to) go back to my family and friends to resume school and sit my KCPE, she said.

Her father died at 32, when she was three years old. He had worked for Family TV, Citizen TV, Radio Ramogi, BBC Radio among other media outlets by the time of his demise.

Well-wishers can donate through M-PesaPaybill Number 8011987, with the senders name as the account name.

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Daughter of former journalist who died of colon cancer battling cancer of the bones - Nairobi News

Group of doctors and nurses talking about coronavirus.

As Ive watched the daily press briefings given by my state officials, it strikes me how they discuss COVID-19 deaths. They will list the age, gender, and county of the person who passed away before adding that one all-important phrase, with underlying health conditions. On the surface, at a public health level, that may seem like important information to include. But that label divides the population into two groups: those with pre-existing health conditions and those without.

Its psychologically painful to feel an ongoing sense of risk. People are not used to this level of discussion and disruption around health. Its easier to choose to believe that we are not actually at risk, that everything will be fine for us. The medias emphasis on how the people who died had preexisting conditions subconsciously reassures people without preexisting conditions that they are not at risk. It separates people into two tiers (healthy vs. not), and deaths from one of those tiers are now becoming viewed as expected and even acceptable.

Related: Download The Mighty app to connect in real time with people who can relate to what you're going through.

One man recently told my husband that he would be OK with one to two million deaths in the US from this virus, as long as the economy could have stayed open. What is the unspoken message of that belief? He is OK with that number of deaths because they would most likely be from vulnerable populations: elderly people, chronically ill people, and people with disabilities.

This current pandemic has led to many discussions around the Spanish Flu outbreak of 100 years ago, in which many children and young adults died. Lately, people who are against stay-at-home orders, mask usage, and social distancing will bring up that fact to show that the 1918 outbreak was different from todays outbreak because so many young, healthy people died. That differentiation is showing their true beliefs about the value of vulnerable populations, not only including the elderly (15 percent risk of dying from COVID-19) but also people with disabilities (close to 10 percent risk of dying from COVID-19).

Story continues

Related: What Makes My Life Different From Healthy People's Lives During COVID-19

Are their deaths without meaning because of their preexisting conditions, whether age or disability? This is what people are implying, whether consciously or unconsciously, when they constantly reiterate, But almost everyone who died had underlying health conditions.

This is where advocacy comes into play: dont let people in your life get away with saying that.

Challenge them: is massive loss of life acceptable to you as long as the deaths come from vulnerable population groups? Why are their lives not valuable to you?

On a personal level, dont allow yourself to fall into the easy trap of feeling safe just because you may not be at risk of death from this virus. Every time you read a report of someone who died from COVID-19 with preexisting health conditions, please pay homage to them by recognizing them in your mind as someone who loved and was loved, who had hobbies and joys and things in their life they looked forward to, same as you. Honor them through your acknowledgment.

Related: How I'm Managing My Anxiety and Parenting During COVID-19

While not everyone may have an underlying condition in the form of a disability, if we are fortunate, we will all grow old someday. When that day comes, I can only hope that others will view my life and passing with respect as well. Every life is deserving of protection and respect.

For more on the coronavirus, check out the following stories from our community:

Helping a Child With Autism Tolerate Wearing a Face Mask

To Those Who Question the Value of My Life During COVID-19

The COVID-19 Reopening Questions I Need Answers for as a Person at High Risk

It's OK If You're Functioning in Survival Mode Right Now

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The Problem With the Way Officials Are Categorizing COVID-19 Deaths - Yahoo Lifestyle

- Molecular Methods Quantified Precision and Efficiency of Nuclease-Free Gene Editingfor PKU -

- Manufacturing Enhancements Led to Improved Productivity, Quality and Scalability of Commercial Process, Confirmed in 2,000L Bioreactor -

- Data Highlight Unique Characteristics of AAVHSC Genetic Medicines Platform -

BEDFORD, Mass., May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Homology Medicines, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIXX), a genetic medicines company, announced today the presentation of data at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 23rd Annual Meeting. Among Homologys seven presentations are data from its in vivo nuclease-free gene editing program for phenylketonuria (PKU) and in vivo gene therapy program for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), both of which are in IND-enabling studies. Presentations also focus on the Companys commercial manufacturing platform, as well as data on the differentiating characteristics of Homologys family of AAVHSC vectors, particularly when compared to other AAVs, which highlight the potential of the Companys dual gene therapy and editing platform.

Homology has made substantial progress in understanding the unique properties of our AAVHSC-based technology and this enables us to move our dual genetic medicines platform forward to develop potential treatments, or cures, for patients, stated Albert Seymour, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Homology Medicines. We are pleased to share data here that describe the molecular methods we have developed to characterize in vivo, nuclease-free gene editing efficiency and precision at the DNA level. Additional data from our in vivo MLD gene therapy program demonstrates the impact on key biomarkers in two species, as well as the durability of effect in the murine model of disease with data out to 52 weeks. Underpinning all our programs is our internal GMP process and manufacturing capabilities, where we have now confirmed our commercial HEK293 suspension platform at the 2,000-liter scale, bringing our total internal capacity to 3,500 liters. Additionally, we are presenting data showing improved AAVHSC packaging as compared to the non-Clade F vector AAV5.

Highlights from Homologys 2020 ASGCT Presentations

The presentation, Molecular Characterization of Precise In Vivo Targeted Gene Editing in Human Cells using AAVHSC15, a New AAV Derived from Hematopoietic Stem Cells (AAVHSC), describes quantitative molecular methods to measure efficiency and precision of nuclease-free, homologous recombination-based gene editing. The studies, which used a single I.V. administration of a gene editing construct to insert the human PAH gene, which is mutated in people with phenylketonuria (PKU), in a humanized liver murine model, show:

Two posters related to Homologys internal commercial manufacturing platform will be presented.In Molecular Design and Characterization of Packaging Plasmid Sequences for Improved Production of Novel Clade F AAVHSCs, the data demonstrate:

In Development and Scalability of Transfection-Based Production and Purification of Novel Clade F Adeno-Associated Viruses Isolated from Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells (AAVHSCs), Homology describes high-quality productivity and scalability of its mammalian, suspension-based manufacturing, including:

Related to Homologys HMI-202 investigational gene therapy for MLD, the presentation, Gene Therapy for Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) That Crosses the Blood-Nerve and Blood-Brain Barriers in Mice and Non-Human Primates, details that a single I.V. administration:

In collaboration with Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Homology also presents, In Vivo Transduction of Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells after Intravenous Injection of AAVHSC15 and AAVHSC17, which shows:

As Homology has advanced its AAVHSC technology, it is presenting mechanistic data on the platform, including the following two presentations.In Role of Terminal Galactose in Cellular Uptake, Intracellular Trafficking, and Tissue Tropism Using Adeno-Associated Viruses Isolated from Human Stem Cells (AAVHSCs), the data show:

In AAVHSCs Transduction Does Not Significantly Elicit p53-Mediated Apoptosis or Alter Cell Cycle in Human iPSCs and Primary Cells When Compared to Non-Clade F AAV Vectors, the studies demonstrate that AAVHSCs:

For more information about the presentations, visit Homologys website at http://www.homologymedicines.com/publications.

About Homology Medicines, Inc. Homology Medicines, Inc. is a genetic medicines company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients suffering from rare genetic diseases with significant unmet medical needs by curing the underlying cause of the disease. Homologys proprietary platform is designed to utilize its human hematopoietic stem cell-derived adeno-associated virus vectors (AAVHSCs) to precisely and efficiently deliver genetic medicinesin vivoeither through a gene therapy or nuclease-free gene editing modality across a broad range of genetic disorders. Homology has a management team with a successful track record of discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutics with a particular focus on rare diseases, and intellectual property covering its suite of 15 AAVHSCs. Homology believes that its compelling preclinical data, scientific expertise, product development strategy, manufacturing capabilities and intellectual property position it as a leader in the development of genetic medicines. For more information, please visitwww.homologymedicines.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding our expectations surrounding the potential, safety, efficacy, and regulatory and clinical progress of our product candidates; our beliefs regarding our manufacturing capabilities; our position as a leader in the development of genetic medicines; and our participation in upcoming presentations and conferences. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations, including our preclinical studies and clinical trials, and on general economic conditions; we have and expect to continue to incur significant losses; our need for additional funding, which may not be available; failure to identify additional product candidates and develop or commercialize marketable products; the early stage of our development efforts; potential unforeseen events during clinical trials could cause delays or other adverse consequences; risks relating to the capabilities of our manufacturing facility; risks relating to the regulatory approval process; our product candidates may cause serious adverse side effects; inability to maintain our collaborations, or the failure of these collaborations; our reliance on third parties; failure to obtain U.S. or international marketing approval; ongoing regulatory obligations; effects of significant competition; unfavorable pricing regulations, third-party reimbursement practices or healthcare reform initiatives; product liability lawsuits; failure to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel; the possibility of system failures or security breaches; risks relating to intellectual property and significant costs as a result of operating as a public company. These and other important factors discussed under the caption Risk Factors in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020 and our other filings with the SEC could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent managements estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

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Homology Medicines Announces Presentations on its In Vivo Gene Therapy and Gene Editing Programs and Commercial Manufacturing Platform at the American...

The moment we find COVID-19 treatments that are truly effective, well see the novel coronavirus with different eyes. Yes, the virus is highly transmissible and can lead to severe illness and death. But effective drugs that can block its ability to infect cells and meds that can reduce respiratory distress and inflammation will turn the new disease into an infection that well learn to live with.

Several experts warned this week that the novel coronavirus is here to stay, and we may never get rid of it even when the vaccines arrive. But an increasing number of reports detail various therapies that can be used to improve the odds of recovery. Some of them rely on drugs that were developed to treat other conditions. Others use stem cells. And then there are plasma transfusions from patients who survived COVID-19.

Researchers are also working on a new type of drug thats related to plasma therapy, antibody-based meds that can offer the same kind of protection as a plasma transfusion. Now, we have learned that one of the antibodies capable of blocking the SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to cells has proven to be 100% effective in labs.

The novel coronavirus binds to human cells via a spike protein that can link up to ACE2 receptors. Then the virus enters the cell where it wreaks havoc. The cell deciphers the viruss genetic information to create more and more copies of the virus. The cell dies in the process, and the new replicas are released into the body where they are free to infect other cells and continue to replicate.

The immune system detects pathogens and can fight them very efficiently. Many people will get COVID-19 and never know it because theyll never even present any symptoms. That means the immune system cleared the virus before it could cause complications, and the resulting antibodies will be able to deal with the illness in the future, providing immunity against COVID-19 for an unknown period of time. Thats why plasma treatments work. Doctors use the antibodies from donors to treat other patients with weaker immune systems. But demand for plasma far exceeds supply, and thats why monoclonal antibody drugs would work better.

Sorrento is one of several companies working on this breakthrough type of drug. The pharmaceutical company has found what it describes as a potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody that can completely prevent the virus from linking to ACE2 cells in lab tests. The antibody is called STI-1499, and Sorrento says its been able to deliver 100% inhibition of the virus in healthy cells after four days of incubation.

Sorrento has screened billions of antibodies in its proprietary G-MAB fully human antibody library and identified hundreds of candidates that can bind to the S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. A dozen of them have been able to block the interaction between S1 and ACE2.

STI-1499 stood out for its ability to completely block SARS-CoV-2 infection of healthy cells in the experiments. The company says that the virus was neutralized even in low antibody doses. This antibody will likely be the first antibody to be used in the COVI-SHIELD antibody cocktail that will include a combination of antibodies meant to deal with potential mutations of the coronavirus. STI-1499 is also expected to be used as a standalone therapy in a COVI-GUARD drug, assuming it receives regulatory approval.

Sorrento will request priority evaluation and accelerated review. Clinical trials will have to prove the antibody works just as well in patients as it does in lab conditions.

Assuming STI-1499 is effective and safe, Sorrento says itll be able to produce up to 200,000 doses per month, and the company plans to make 1 million of them while its waiting for FDA approval. Manufacturing capacity could be increased through partnerships to meet demand. If all goes well, STI-1499 might be among the first brand new drugs developed specifically to treat COVID-19.

Doctors analyzing lung CT scan. Image Source: STEPHANIE LECOCQ/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it he was sharing his views on tech stuff with readers around the world. Whenever he's not writing about gadgets he miserably fails to stay away from them, although he desperately tries. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

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The first breakthrough coronavirus antibody drug might finally be here - BGR

Trials and triumphs of the COVID-19 combat Image Credit: Gulf News

Dubai: The first case of coronavirus in the UAE was announced on January 29, 2020. Thats around three-and-a-half months ago. Time flies, you would ordinarily be inclined to think. But these are extraordinary times.

Ever since the beastly virus spread its ugly tentacles, everything weve been thinking, saying or doing has revolved around COVID-19. But beyond the general fatigue that were all beginning to feel, there is no denying that life as we know it why, even death has changed forever.

Gasping patients gone without a goodbye; family members watching funerals of loved ones on Facebook; infected couples having to leave young children in the care of others; tables turning on doctors and nurses COVIDs trying tales are heart-wrenching.

But the unimaginable trauma notwithstanding, there are those who are counting their blessings too, whether its a new mum beating the virus with her just-born; a patient coming off the ventilator after 20 days; or the UAEs health care community clocking record testing rates and its researchers achieving a treatment breakthrough.

A look at the trials, tribulations and triumphs of UAE residents since the COVID-19 combat began:

The ultimate trial

Its bad enough to lose a loved one, but not being able to bid goodbye takes away even the sense of closure.

THE WAY IT IS

Global protocols on heath safety, hygiene and social distancing stipulate that coronavirus patients must get treated in isolation, and even depart alone.

Global protocols on heath safety, hygiene and social distancing stipulate that coronavirus patients must get treated in isolation, and even depart alone, so one has no choice but to let go.

When Bangladeshi expat Tofail Alam, 51, passed away in Abu Dhabi last week, his wife Nausheen told Gulf News her husband went to see a doctor at a hospital in March because he had a bad cold.

Tofail Alam

But he was admitted the same day and transferred to a public hospital for treatment. We lost the pillar of our family to the coronavirus pandemic. It is so devastating that I simply have no words.

A friend who tried to contact Alam in hospital said, The calls never went through. So all I could do was ask the nurses about his condition. Somewhere along the line, he learnt that the father of two was no more.

Funeral on Facebook

Even in non-coronavirus cases, flight suspensions in recent times have meant that some residents havent been able to attend funerals of loved ones in other countries.

Among them: A Keralite family in the UAE who watched the funeral of their cancer-stricken son Jeuel G. Jomay, a Grade 10 student at a Sharjah school, on Facebook on April 16. They could not accompany his body when it was flown to native Kerala under lockdown.

Jeuels funeral ceremony back home began at 4am in the UAE. His cousin told Gulf News her family and Jeuels family watched the five-hour ceremony on Facebook while the St Marys Church in Sharjah provided a link to the YouTube livestreaming on its website for members here to watch the service.

None of the flights was getting sanctioned soon. Jeuels father wanted to fly with him. But that was not possible, the cousin told Gulf News at the time.

Similarly, on April 17, Dubai-based Pakistani expat Ghulam Mustafa Awan watched the funeral of his father Malik Nazir Ahmad on video. Ahmad had died of a heart and lung condition.

I tried everything, but I couldnt go and see the face of my father one last time, said Awan.

- Ghulam Mustafa Awan

In both cases, COVID-19-related restrictions prevented their travel.

Double whammy

Telling a young COVID-19 mother of three that her husband, also a coronavirus patient, has passed on can by no means be easy.

But that is precisely what Dr Samara Khatib, Consultant InternalMedicine and team lead at the COVID-19 ward at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai, was tasked to do recently.

We had to take the help of mental health professionals to break the tragic news to the patient, who is in her 30s, said the American doctor of Syrian origin. It shook us as healthcare workers.

- Dr Samara Khatib

Coronavirus has struck other couples too in the UAE, which has meant they have had to leave their children in the care of others.

Dubai-based Suman Manning, who tested positive along with her triathlete husband Shane Manning, said her sister took care of her triplets during the ordeal. Although she showed no symptoms, she had to isolate herself and tell her kids and sister to keep away from her, while her husband was recovering in hospital.

It was a particularly trying time as the kids had just started the first week of remote learning and needed some kind of support, she told Gulf News earlier.

Were not invincible

Working on the frontlines in the face of an invisible and yet-to-be-conquered virus, doctors and nurses are probably at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19. Ask Reem Yousef, who works as an emergency nurse manager at the Emirates Specialty Hospital in Dubai.

- Reem Yousef

The Lebanese mum, who is still breastfeeding her nine-month-old baby, told Gulf News: It is really hard. I am literally wearing my heart on my sleeve for my little one, Relle. Yes, there is fear of contracting COVID-19 as we work 12-15 hours a day for five days. We try our best to manage. When I go back home, I take utmost care to completely sterilise myself before I hold my baby in my arms again.

Dr Khatib said she tests herself for the virus at least once a month. I am also very particular about hygiene. Its almost as if I suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). There is no respite on the front line and when we see our own colleagues falling prey to the virus, we feel emotionally distraught. It makes us realise we are not invincible. But we have a responsibility to stay safe and healthy as we can pass on the virus to other patients or our families back home.

Despite the best efforts though, the tables do get turned sometimes. And when that happens, the resolve to combat coronavirus only gets stronger.

As a doctor duo at Zulekha Hospital Dubai, Dr Nishath Ahmed Liyakat and Dr Unni Nair, who have recovered from COVID-19 testify, there was no way the virus would have held them back from doing their duty once they had received the treatment and completed their quarantine.

Victor and the virus

Yes, the dismal health crisis surrounding us does have its share of good news. As the official tracker posts new cases every day, there are considerable recoveries too, with each corona warrior, irrespective of whether they are a mild or critical case, emerging as an emphatic victor against the virus.

Speak to patients who have turned the blind corner, and their words inspire you. While some will tell you coronavirus is not a death sentence, others will say they do not wish their hellish experience even on their worst enemies.

- Wilfredo

Either way, there is no bitterness and no taking away from the huge sense of relief and gratitude on the road to recovery.

I hardly had any symptoms and it never felt like a death sentence. But now that I have completed my quarantine, I thank God its over, said one young Indian woman who did not want to be named.

Wilfredo, a Filipino expat, who came out of the ventilator after 20 days at Al Zahra Hospital, Sharjah, said, I prayed hard to God and placed my trust in the medical team. Now, Im getting better every day and can only remember those weeks on the ventilator like it was yesterday.

In Abu Dhabi, Raneen Abu Zaher, a Palestinian homemaker, and her newborn son, Jad, who also beat coronavirus, inspire hope.

The duo were diagnosed with the infection when Jad was just a day old. But two weeks later, when they got the all-clear, the mother of three told Gulf News, I tried to hold on to my faith, and prayed for my entire family.

UAE will not let you down

If theres one thing any patient in the UAE will vouch for, its the fact that they could not have been in better hands. Whether it is Liu Yujia, a 73-year-old visitor from Wuhan, China, who was the first patient to have fully recovered in the UAE or Aubrey Escano, 27, a Filipina from Abu Dhabi who is currently under quarantine, there has been only praise and gratefulness for the UAE for the manner in which coronavirus cases are handled.

Escano in her message said, I would like to tell COVID-19 patients not to lose hope, not to worry and continue the fight because the UAE will not let them down.

The exemplary patient care apart, the UAE has also hit international headlines for carrying out a record number of laboratory tests for coronavirus. According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the UAE leads global coronavirus testing with 1.5 million tests conducted since the beginning of the outbreak. The UAE daily testing average equals a four-month average of COVID-19 testing in other countries.

- Aubrey Escano

Addressing a UAE Government remote meeting today, Minister of Health and Prevention Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais said, The UAEs response to the COVID-19 pandemic is unique and different from other countries. The UAE has shown exceptional management of the crisis, whilst leveraging other countries experiences. However, the level of response was different, given the demographic composition in the country, which is home to more than 200 nationalities, and its distinct resources, readiness and experiences in many sectors.

On May 1, doctors and researchers at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre also achieved a major breakthrough with a promising stem cell treatment for COVID-19 patients.

The Ministry of Economy even granted a patent for the development of the innovative method, which was administered to 73 COVID-19 patients, all of whom were cured of the virus using stem cells.

Researchers, who have completed the initial phase of clinical trials, are now working on demonstrating the efficacy of the treatment.

Now that is no mean achievement, by any measure.

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Coronavirus: The trials and triumphs of UAE residents - Gulf News

Physician burnout and suicide were epidemics before the current pandemic.

Nationwide, our doctors are jumping from rooftops, overdosing in call rooms and hanging themselves in hospital chapels. Its medicines dirty secret.

This unnerving account by Pamela Wible, MD during her 2015 TEDMED talk sent chills down my spine. Dr. Wible described the death of one physician by bullying, hazing and sleep deprivation a torture technique adding that each year, more than one million Americans lose their doctor due to suicide. Her cell phone has become an unofficial suicide hotline. The founder of Ideal Medical Care, Dr. Wible is also featured in the groundbreaking documentary, Do No Harm, which has been virtually screened every Sunday in May at 8pm EST. Suicide is an occupational hazard of our profession.

Physician burnout was an epidemic BEFORE the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a 2018 study, 400 physicians die by suicide each year double that of the general population. In addition, doctors have the highest suicide rate of any profession in the U.S including combat veterans. From an economic standpoint, studies estimate that physician burnout is costing the health care system approximately $4.6 billion per year. So, how do we stop this dreadful reality? Read on (HINT: its NOT through resilience and wellness trainings).

Many doctors view medicine as a calling, entering the field with immense altruism paired with a passion for science and healing the sick. The erosion of these intrinsic motivators leads to burnout which psychologist Christina Maslach defines as a syndrome of emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment.

The stress of long hours, no sleep, poor eating, inadequate protection, the fear of contaminating loved ones, the fear of dying and seeing patients die no matter what you do, the disrespect by hospital administrators and the fear of being fired, all remain the reality for those who are in the thick of things, denounced Lynette Charity, MD, an anesthesiologist who speaks nationwide about physician burnout.

Studies also show that burnout is associated with negative clinical outcomes: decreased quality of patient care; increased number of medical errors; and higher rates of addiction, depression and suicide among physicians.

Dr. Lynette Charity, an anesthesiologist and physician advocate, speaks nationwide about burnout ... [+] among doctors.

Burnout has nothing to do with weakness, laziness or incompetence. The prevailing attitude, report Pamela Hartzband, MD and Jerome Groopman, MD in a recent NEJM article, was that burnout is a physician problem and those who cant adapt need to get with the program or leave. Turns out that structural and systemic issues are heavy culprits. Despite lip service to patient-centered care, many physicians believe the current healthcare system is propelled by money and metrics, according to Hartzband and Groopman. Doctors are well-meaning and willing to work long hours, and hospital executives know this and exploit it, as Danielle Ofri, MD aptly asserts in The Business of Health Care Depends on Exploiting Doctors and Nurses.

Medical workers in protective clothing move the body of a deceased patient to a refrigerated ... [+] overflow morgue outside the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The medical field is at a crisis. This pandemic has exposed many cracks in the U.S. healthcare system. From inadequate testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) to overcrowded emergency departments, frontline health staff are putting their lives at risk to care for highly infectious patients debilitated by Covid-19. And yet medical professionals are responding to this crisis with unprecedented selflessness, resilience and compassion.

For many physicians, Covid-19 may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back as they isolate themselves physically from their family and friends while encountering a surge of sickness and death, said Nisha Mehta, MD, radiologist, physician advocate and keynote speaker.

Here are a few real-world examples. About a month into the pandemic, at the end of a difficult shift, an infectious disease physician with 20 years of experience, texted me the following: Just admitted a 28yo pregnant woman in 2nd trimester w COVID. About to get intubated. I hate these days. Two weeks later, this same physician texted: I just started sobbing. I mean, bawling. But in the bathroom so my 6yo wouldnt see.

A doctor checks on a Covid-19-infected patient connected to a ventilator.

Some hospitals have created the position, Chief Wellness Officer. Others have offered resilience and meditation workshops, social hours and tips for maximizing productivity. But, according to Hartzman and Groopman, none of these solutions address the underlying problem: a profound lack of alignment between caregivers values and the reconfigured health care system. Here are some strategies that may actually curtail the wave of physician burnout and suicide:

1. Reduce administrative burden This includes prior authorizations, disability paperwork and the electronic medical record (EMR) which has simply become a burdensome billing tool. Let the bean counters and the C-Suite collect the data and enter it into the EMRs, suggested Dr. Charity, adding: Provide scribes for the doctors.

2. Flexibility over schedules A 2017 study showed that physician input in scheduling was one of the few systems solutions that reduced burnout as it allowed for individual practice styles and patient interactions.

3. Mental health support Because burnout can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD and secondary trauma, appropriate and timely mental health treatment is critical and can include counseling and medications. In NY state, text NYFRONTLINE to 741741 to access 24/7 emotional support services.

Access to timely mental health support is critical in reducing burnout.

4. Reduce gender bias The National Academy of Medicine reported that burnout may be 20-60% higher among female vs male physicians. Over 70% of women doctors experienced gender discrimination; they are consistently paid less than their male counterparts, less likely to be referred by their professional titles and less likely to be promoted. Female physicians also spend 8.5 additional hours per week on childcare and other domestic duties, while men reported spending an extra 40 minutes on domestic work.

6. Diversify Doctor Voices We need more women and women of color to be in decision-making positions. Minority voices are not being heard, and they are being disproportionately harmed.

7. Speak Out - If youre a physician whos going through a hard time, I promise you youre not alone. Please talk to somebody. And if you see a colleague suffering, please get her/him help. You may just be saving a life. Call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

In addition to the above recommendations, a group of New York doctors (myself included) created a petition to advocate for physician protection and compensation which is being sent to legislators. It can be signed by non-healthcare workers.

Dr. Nisha Mehta, a physician advocate: "So many physicians contact me with fears, frustrations and ... [+] sadness as they experience unprecedented challenges emotionally, physically and financially."

*****

Medicine is a calling for many. But is it really worth dying for? I dont think so. Doctors are people, too. And thats not being trite. In order to stem the tide of physician burnout and suicide, we all have a role to play. If we want our doctors to be whole and full of joy, we must reaffirm their humanity and their value in society. Medical culture and health care systems must change but this will only happen when theyre forced to change. Physicians must first acknowledge and heal their own pain and suffering - for their sake and that of their patients and communities.

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Doctor, Heal Thyself: Physician Burnout In The Wake Of Covid-19 - Forbes

The first UAE patient to recover from Covid-19 after stem-cell therapy has told of his gruelling journey to "full health" after being placed in a coma to stop his organs shutting down.

Abdullahi Rodhile, 50, from Somalia, contracted the virus on March 30 and, because of an existing heart condition, his health deteriorated quickly.

The virus attacked his kidneys and lungs so badly that doctors rushed him into the intensive care unit at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi and put him in an induced coma for 20 days.

Whenever we called the hospital to ask about him, they would say 'just pray for him', Mr Rodhile's sister Zainab, 55, told The National.

Zainab said the family braced themselves for bad news after seeing global death tolls rapidly rise.

I was brought back to life. I was dead and now I am alive

Abdullahi Rodhile

With all this news, we lost our hope," she said. "I swear to God, I thought he was going to [die]. Even his wife prepared herself that he was not coming back.

A week after Mr Rodhile was admitted into the hospital, doctors from the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre proposed a new therapy they believed could help to treat the effects of Covid-19.

Eager to try any treatment that could help, the family agreed and Mr Rodhile became the first Covid-19 patient in the UAE to be given stem cell therapy.

It involves isolating then activating stem cells taken from the patient's blood before they are nebulised into a fine mist so they can be inhaled into the lungs.

The therapy has since been used on 72 other coronavirus patients with severe symptoms.

I was brought back to life. I was dead and now I am alive, said Mr Rodhile, who works as a cargo clerk.

I have never been better. Thank God."

He spent 40 days in intensive care but only after he started the stem cell therapy did his lungs begin to improve slightly.

Mr Rodhile eventually healed enough to gradually awaken from the coma.

The first thing he did after he regained consciousness was call his sister.

He asked for his cell phone and asked them to dial my number," Zainab said. "It was 12am and I saw his name and I was in shock. I couldnt even move."

Mr Rodhile was disoriented and confused at first but slowly began to recover his strength.

I do believe that, after God, stem cell made his life different, his sister said.

Mr Rodhile is father to 10 children with his youngest aged only a month. His wife and children live in Somalia.

His stem cell treatment was free, in line with an order from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, that all costs be covered for any critical coronavirus cases.

The treatment is considered "supportive". It is administered to patients alongside more conventional medical support and established treatment, rather than as a replacement.

"I am grateful and want to thank every person who has supported me and has taken care of me, and for Sheikh Mohamed and the UAE government for covering my treatment," Mr Rodhile said.

____________

Sheikh Mohammed calls for UAE to make 'fastest recovery' from pandemic

A medical worker puts away a Covid-19 swab test at one of the Mussaffah testing facilities. Victor Besa / The National

An Abu Dhabi resident goes for a jog along the Corniche, as the government eases movement restrictions. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi residents wear mandatory masks as they walk in the city.Victor Besa / The National

Safety instructions are on display outside Al Awir fruit & vegetable market in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES , May 6 2020 :- A person wearing protective face mask and covering his face with laptop bag on a hot day in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. UAE government ease the coronavirus restriction for the residents around the country. (Pawan Singh / The National) For News/Standalone/Online/Stock/Instagram

Indian citizens queue to check in at the Dubai International Airport before leaving the UAE on a flight back totheir home country on May 7. Inbound flights for UAE residents have also begun operatingfrom select cities.Karim Sahim / AFP

Passengers from an Emirates flight from London line up before being checked by health workers at Dubai International Airport on May 8. Karim Sahib / AFP

Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi has reopened to the public but with safety measures in place. toprotect shoppers and staff from contracting Covid-19. Victor Besa/The National

Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi has reopened to the public from 12pm to 9pm. Measures remain in place to keep shoppers and staff safe. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 9, 2020. Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi will be open from noon to 9pm. Supermarkets and pharmacies will be open from 9am to midnight. Victor Besa / The National

Workers pass by Al Mina Vegetables and Fruits Market in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A security guard is given a free Covid-19 test at one of the Mussaffah testing centres. Victor Besa / The National

Workers line up to receive a coronavirus test at Abu Dhabi'sMussafah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Updated: May 12, 2020 09:56 AM

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UAE's first Covid-19 patient to recover after stem-cell therapy tells of medical journey - The National

Dr Shikha Sharma

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an unforgettable word in 2020. World health organization has declared COVID-19 as pandemic and according to the Worldometer site, it has affected 212 countries and territories and has caused approximately 2.8 lakhs deaths so far. According to the various published scientific evidences COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by new coronavirus that can lead to lung dysfunction. There are 7 coronaviruses that are known to cause disease in humans and among these 3 can cause the severe respiratory infection. These are severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) identified in 2002 in China, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV2) commonly called COVID-19 identified in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and COVID-19 are closely related but COVID-19 spread more quickly than the other two. Over 8000 people from 29 different countries were affected with SARS-CoV epidemic during 2002-2004 while 40.78 lakhs people are affected with COVID-19 so far. In most cases, immune response (bodys defence system) triggered by the COVID-19 infection is sufficient to combat its pathogenesis leads to the recovery of patient. However, in some cases, COVID-19 infection causes highly inflammatory form of lung cells death and injury as the most dangerous phase of its pathogenesis which leads to the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines by bodys own immune cells creating cytokine storm that results in damage to the lung tissues causing pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis. In Pneumonia and ARDS air sac of lungs fill with fluid or pus. These complications lead to severe condition such as shortness of breath that require treatment with oxygen and ventilator. Therefore controlling inflammatory response is utmost important to prevent coronavirus lethality rate and for the longer life of a patient. Currently no specific treatment is available for COVID-19 infection but several vaccines, drugs and stem cells testing in various countries has generated hope to combat its pathogenesis. Recent breakthrough has demonstrated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as cell medicine therapy to reduce COVID-19 infection.What are MSCsMSCs are multipotent adult stem cells that are capable of differentiating into various cell types such as fat cells, bone cells, liver cells, pancreatic cells, brain cells, heart cells and skin cells thus can participate in the repair and regeneration of various tissues and organs of the body. Inside the body, upon injury, MSCs migrate to the injured site and participate in the regeneration and repair of the organ either by differentiation or by paracrine secretion or both. In addition MSCs possess immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that contributes to its cell medicinal properties. MSCs can be isolated from various tissues such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, body fat, muscle, placenta, umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood, teeth and hair follicles and can be expanded ex vivo and used for transplantation for treating disease and disorders after genetic stability test.How MSCs reduce COVID-19pathogenesisAs reported by various research groups that upon intravenous injection or through mist inhalation the significant population of MSCs migrate to the lung and secrete various immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory factors to cure lung dysfunction by normalizing immune response altered by COVID-19 and stimulate lung repair. Moreover MSCs are resistant to COVID-19 infection and can be used for autologous and allogenic transplantation.Clinical trial with MSCs for COVID-19There are several clinical trials registered with MSCs for the treatment of COVID-19 from various countries such as China, USA, UK, Germany, UAE, Jordan and Iran and some reports have been published. Approximately 100 patients have been treated with MSCs therapy from moderate to critical conditions within 10-15 days of transplantation. A first case treated with MSCs showed the recovery of 65 year old critical ill patient in Baoshan Peoples Hospital, Longling County, China. Initially the patient was treated with antiviral therapy and immunomodulator thymosin alpha1 but hasnt shown any recovery. Later after 10 days patient was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan injury, type2 diabetes, moderate anaemia, electrolyte disturbance, immunosuppression, acute gastrointestinal bleeding and other symptom was shifted to ICU and on ventilator. They showed that after three MSCs injections along with thymosin alpha1 lead to the recovery of patient from COVID-19 infection. FDA has approved 24 patient clinical trial in USA to test safety and efficacy of MSCs from umbilical cord to prevent COVID-19 infection. Recently, in USA three critically ill patients in ICU and on ventilator recovered from COVID-19 infection with MSCs treatment. An Israeli pharmaceutical company Pluristem therapeutics have tested MSCs therapy on 7 critically ill patient and found positive results. More recently, UAE also reported the treatment of 73 COVID-19 infected patients with stem cells. They have developed the technology to isolate the stem cells from patient blood, activate them and reintroduce them by mist inhalation. These reports are indicative that MSCs hold the potential to treat the COVID-19 infection by preventing bodys own defense system from overreacting and normalise its response to fight against COVID-19 infection. Many companies from different countries are seeking approval to begin clinical trial with stem cells against COVID-19 infection.Why are we lagging behind when we have stem cell companies/labs/facility in our country? We also produce GMP grade stem cells for transplantation. China tested the stem cell therapy on first patient when all other therapies failed and stem cells was one of option left to save the life of the patient. In India also so many deaths are happening due to COVID-19 we can also check if stem cells can reduce the mortality rate. Moreover as per some reports MSCs dont stay inside the body for more than 1-3 months and they eventually die and dont result in teratoma formation. Our government along with doctors and scientist can also formulate committee on stem cells and begin such initiative to test MSCs for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. Nevertheless, MSCs has joined the army along with the other possible interventions to prevent the COVID-19 illness.(The author is (PhD and Postdoc in Stem Cells)feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com

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Stem cells therapy A prospective treatment against coronavirus? - Daily Excelsior

MINNEAPOLIS, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The challenges surrounding COVID-19 have impacted every aspect of healthcare, including ensuring the timely delivery of bone marrow and blood stem cells for transplant. Thanks to the generosity of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, however, patients are able to continue receiving life-saving transplants without interruption.

When the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match ran out of available European Union couriers to deliver life-saving cells to American patients and with tens of thousands of commercial flights canceled, Lockheed Martin stepped up to offer their corporate aircraft as an in-kind donation to support the federal government's COVID-19 response and relief efforts to ensure patients that life-saving products from European donors would arrive on time.

NMDP/Be The Match, operates the federally authorized program that matches unrelated volunteer donors with patients in the United States and abroad who have been diagnosed with leukemia and over 70 more otherwise fatal blood disorders and diseases.

In addition to matching donors and patients, one of the program's primary missions is coordinating the delivery of bone marrow domestically and internationally to patients in the United States and abroad. This life-or-death delivery has historically been accomplished by trained couriers hand carrying donated marrow in the passenger compartment of commercial aircraft from donor collection centers to the hospitals of patients all across the globe.

Patients who are scheduled to receive transplants in the coming days are already in the process of a carefully timed course of chemotherapy and radiation treatments designed to eliminate their existing immune systems in preparation for the transplantation of cells to create a healthy, new immune system. If the transportation of donor cells is interrupted, the consequences are fatal to these patients whose immune systems have been ablated.

"The incredible support from Lockheed Martin is a lifeline to our patients. For those awaiting bone marrow transplant, their very survival depends on the on-time delivery of these life-saving cells. By offering flight services, Lockheed Martin is helping us ensure that patients can continue the cells they need, exactly when they need them," said NMDP/Be The Match Chief Policy Officer Brian Lindberg.

As part of this partnership Lockheed Martin will be providing weekly air transport based on government medical need flying government medical teams to the most critical, high-priority locations around the country and/or flying to support bone marrow transport to help with the government's COVID-19 response.

NMDP/Be The Match has facilitated over 100,000 bone marrow transplants since 1987 to deliver cures for patients battling blood cancers and blood disorders. More than 50 percent of those transplants involve international donors or recipients.

About Be The MatchFor people with life-threatening blood cancerslike leukemia and lymphomaor other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidancebefore, during and after transplant.

Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research through its research program, CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research), so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.orgor call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

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Lockheed Martin Steps Up To Help Save Lives And Support Be The Match During COVID-19 - Southernminn.com

News

Secondary bacterial infections are emerging as a risk-multiplier for coronavirus patients with drug-resistant infections a particular threat.

During the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, many people succumbed not to the influenza virus, but to secondary pneumonia, as opportunistic bacteria took advantage of a weakened immune system and invaded the lungs.An influential 2008 Journal of Infectious Diseases study co-authored by leading US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci found most Spanish Flu deaths were in fact due to bacterial pneumonia.These infections were hard to treat, given the virulent strain of flu emerged a decade before the first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered.If the next pandemic is caused by a human-adapted virus similar to those recognized since 1918, we believe the infection is likely to behave as it has in past pandemics, precipitating severe disease associated with prevalent colonizing bacteria, the study authors conclude. Now this prediction looks to be coming true. Experts are warning that history may be repeating a century later during a new pandemic, with secondary bacterial infections emerging as an understudied way people can die from COVID-19. We have antibiotics this time but overuse of the vital drugs has led to the emergence of strains of antibiotic-resistant organisms.Not only that, the current global pandemic may supercharge the growth of antibiotic-resistant organisms, given many hospitalised coronavirus patients are routinely given antibiotics to reduce the risk to healthcare workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to huge numbers of people with compromised immune systems being admitted to hospitals, which are a known breeding ground for drug-resistant bacteria. Because of this influx, these hospital-associated bacteria will now have a much wider potential target group, microbiologist Dr Ronel McCarthy notes in The Conversation.Infectious disease expert and ANU microbiologist Peter Collignon told newsGP it is doubly concerning given that increasing antimicrobial resistance may make these infections harder to treat.During the Spanish Flu, between half and three quarters of the deaths were linked to secondary bacterial infections. In a study from Wuhan, half the [COVID-19] patients who died had a secondary bacterial infection. Thats quite high, he said.The Wuhan study in The Lancet was small, involving 191 patients who already had advanced COVID-19, leading antibiotic resistance research network ReAct to caution that the secondary infections were very late stage, with sepsis and acute heart and kidney injuries having occurred in many patients, and to call for more research.Professor Collignon predicted that mortality rates will be worse in nations with higher rates of antimicrobial resistance, such as China, Italy and India.Where is the worst antibiotic resistance in Europe? Italy and Spain. The death rates there are considerably higher, he said.Theres a much higher chance that if you get a secondary bacterial infection it wont respond to antibiotics, he said.I have a view that antibiotic resistance is important in this pandemic. It makes sense. If you go into an ICU [for any reason], a proportion get secondary bacterial infections.India had the highest rate of resistance of 41 nations in a 2018 BMJ study, while Chinas gram-negative bacterial resistance is severe, according to a 2019 Frontiers in Microbiology study.Indias National Centre for Disease Control has called on state health authorities to ensure hospitals adopt strict infection prevention guidelines to stop transmission of both coronavirus and bacterial infections.An anonymous national health official told Indian newspaper Mint that the move was to stem the impact of antimicrobial resistance.[Antimicrobial resistance] can indirectly impact the outcomes of treatment in COVID-19 patients. We have asked all the hospitals to adopt the guidelines while treating coronavirus patients, the official said.Almost all COVID-19 cases in India conclude in serious pneumonia, Dr K Madan Gopal of Indias NITI Aayog thinktank told Mint. Now, if this secondary infection is triggered by antibiotic-resistant bacteria then the situation becomes grave and harder to treat.Adding to the issue is the fact hospitalised coronavirus patients in some countries have been given antibiotics without a confirmed infection in order to reduce the risk to doctors from aerosol-generating diagnostic procedures, according to microbiologist Dr Adam Roberts.Dr Roberts and collaborators have collated emerging research on secondary infections and antibiotic use, such as a Lancet study flagging increasing concern that COVID-19 patients are at risk of contracting a dangerous fungal infection, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.Virologist Jeffery Taubenberger, who first sequenced the genome of the Spanish Flu, has told Bloomberg that secondary bacterial infections in the lungs can prevent patients from recovering due to the damage they can do to respiratory tract stem cells. [Without these cells] you just cant physically repair your lungs he said.People who have a mild reaction to the coronavirus tend to be those able to contain it to the upper respiratory tract. Worse trajectories occur if the virus is able to move to the lungs, potentially paving the way for a secondary assault by bacteria, according to Dr Taubenberger, who was a co-author of the 2008 Spanish Flu study.Paul Glasziou, Professor of Evidence-Based Practice at Bond University, told newsGP it is likely that countries with high numbers of COVID-19 cases will also have increased rates of antimicrobial resistance.A lot of the seriously ill cases get secondary infections. If you have higher rates of antimicrobial resistance, youre going to have more deaths because you wont be able to treat the secondary infections, he said.But Professor Glasziou said antimicrobial resistance could actually decrease in nations like Australia, where the infection has been broadly contained, given that many people have been avoiding GPs and hospitals thus reducing the number of antibiotics prescribed.You have an increased use of antibiotics for hospitalised COVID-19 cases but, at the same time, youve got a reduction in ambulatory care visits with the number of people seeing GPs down and elective surgery put off or cancelled, he said.Social distancing and handwashing have also slashed rates of influenza and other respiratory infections.As well as stopping coronavirus, these interventions also stop every other acute respiratory infection and thats the major area of [antibiotic] overuse in primary care, Professor Glasziou said.What it means long term is hard to say; it depends on what behaviours are changed by this.We may have changed some behaviours permanently and that could lead to long-term reductions in acute respiratory infections. And that could help us long term with antimicrobial resistance.Thats my hope Ive got my fingers crossed. It will be interesting to look at.Log in below to join the conversation.

antimicrobial resistance coronavirus COVID-19

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Are infections and antimicrobial resistance linked to pandemic deaths? - RACGP

In John M. Barrys book on the 1918 flu pandemic, The Great Influenza, one of the most striking passages concerns what actually killed many of the young, healthy victims of the infection, causing them to turn blue and bleed from the nose or ears:

The virus was often so efficient at invading the lungs that the immune system had to mount a massive response to it. What was killing young adults a few days after the first symptom was not the virus. The killer was the massive immune response itself.

The phenomenon Barry describes is the cytokine storm, or cytokine release syndromewhen a bodys natural defenses are called into action and are so overwhelming and destructive that instead of rescuing the sick, they cause their death.

Cytokines are small signaling proteins, which can be grouped by their origins, structural characteristics, effects on the body, and signaling pathways. Each type has a corresponding receptor on the cell surface and, once received, can start one of a number of cellular tasks that begin a cascade of responses, depending on type.

Microbial infections are not the only cause of these storms; a more familiar one is graft versus host disease, which can occur in people who receive organ, bone-marrow, or stem-cell transplants. The donor organ detects an invader (the new body) and masses an immune response to stop the threat, which endangers both the transplanted organ and the recipient. People who receive organ transplants are often given steroids and immunosuppressors to prevent and/or counteract these responses.

Cytokine release syndrome has been reported in some COVID-19 patients, particularly young ones.Unlike other viruses and causes, COVID-19-associated cytokine storms do not appear to inflict severe liver damage. Conversely, the damage to the lungs from the disease is much greater, which may be due to the localization of the virus to those of the lower respiratory tract. Patients kidneys may also be damaged, which accounts for thereporting of acute shortages of dialysis machines for those with already existing renal issues.

The tools available to medicine in 2020 were only at best theoretical in 1918. The lethality of COVID-19 is overwhelming, and the list of complications to infection continues to grow as more cases are seen. The lessons of the influenza pandemic are aiding health care today, and the ability to intervene in cytokine storms early may be saving lives this time.

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

By: W. Conrad Liles and Wesley C. Van Voorhis

The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 172, No. 6 (Dec., 1995)

Oxford University Press

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Cytokine Storms: The Cruel Irony of an Immune Response - JSTOR Daily

DetailsCategory: Small MoleculesPublished on Tuesday, 12 May 2020 12:04Hits: 667

Pediatric Investigational Plan (PIP) for leriglitazone in X-ALD approved by EMA, allowing Minoryx to file Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in Europe based on NEXUS

Timelines for other ongoing trials not impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

MATAR, BCN, Spain and CHARLEROI, Belgium I May 12, 2020 I Minoryx Therapeutics, a company that specializes in the development of innovative treatments for orphan Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases, today announces the initiation of the registration-enabling Phase 2 NEXUS trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of leriglitazone in pediatric patients with early-stage cerebral ALD (cALD), the acute form of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).

In addition the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the proposed PIP for leriglitazone for the treatment of X-ALD, allowing the company to file for an MAA in Europe based on the Phase 2 NEXUS trial, subject to positive results. Minoryx received a deferral for completion of its pediatric plan until after EMA approval of adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN).Leriglitazone (MIN-102), a novel, brain penetrant, orally bioavailable and selective PPAR agonist, is currently in late-stage development for the treatment of severe orphan CNS disorders, including both forms of X-ALD (cALD and AMN) and Friedreichs Ataxia. Leriglitazone obtained Orphan Drug Designation in X-ALD from the European Commission and the FDA, and has been awarded the FDA fast-track procedure in X-ALD.With newborn screening currently being implemented, it is now possible to diagnose patients with early stage cALD, an orphan neurodegenerative disorder characterized by rapid cerebral demyelination and inflammation of the brain, leading to death within a few years of diagnosis. There is an urgent need for alternative treatments that are less invasive than the current standard of care, which is based on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, said Dr. Patricia Musolino, principal investigator of the study and Assistant Professor in Neurology at the Harvard Medical School. The first patient, a ten-year-old boy, has been enrolled in the NEXUS trial at the Hospital Sant Joan de Du in Barcelona. We look forward to further supporting the company and to bringing this much needed innovation to pediatric patients suffering from this devastating disease.Mara Pascual, Chief Regulatory Officer of Minoryx, added: This EMA approval of the PIP, based on the NEXUS trial, marks an important milestone for the company. It highlights the importance of making alternative safe and effective treatments available for children with early cALD. It not only provides a clear path for faster registration of leriglitazone in childhood cerebral ALD but also paves the way for submission of the MAA in Europe for leriglitazone in adrenomyeloneuropathy, following successful completion of the ongoing Phase 2/3 ADVANCE trial.We are pleased that the first patient has been enrolled in the NEXUS trial and expect to report results in 2021, with the potential for preliminary results as soon as this year, said Marc Martinell, Chief Executive Officer of Minoryx.

Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, the timelines of the other ongoing trials with leriglitazone in adrenomyeloneuropathy and Friedrichs Ataxia have not been impacted. Always putting the safety and needs of our patients first, we continue to work diligently with the study sites and our CRO to complete these trials. We still expect to report results for both trials by the end of 2020.About the NEXUS trialand the PIPThe NEXUS registration-directed Phase 2 clinical trial is an open-label study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of leriglitazone in male pediatric patients with early stage cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD). In addition to Spain, the trial has also been approved by ethical committees and the regulatory agencies in France and Germany. Alongside the Barcelona study site under the supervision by Dr Angeles Garca-Cazorla, other recruitment sites include the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendrf, with Dr Anette Bley, the University Hospital Gttingen under the supervision of Dr Hendrik Rosewich and the Bictre Hospital in Paris with Dr Caroline Sevin.The NEXUS trial will recruit up to 13 cALD patients with early cerebral MRI lesions. All patients will receive leriglitazone and will be carefully monitored for safety, clinical symptoms and changes in cerebral MRI lesions. The study has been designed with input from both the EMA and the FDA, clinical experts in X-ALD in Europe and the US, and patient advocacy groups. The trial is partially funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (SME instrument) under grant agreement No 822968.The PIP for leriglitazone is based on the NEXUS trial and has been approved by the EMA following positive opinion from its Pediatric Committee (PDCO). The PIP includes a deferral in completion of the trial until after the approval of the MAA for leriglitazone in adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), the most common form of X-ALD. With successful completion of the agreed PIP, leriglitazone will be eligible for two additional years of marketing exclusivity, on top of the ten-year market exclusivity after market approval.About X-ALD and cALDX-ALD (X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy) is the most prevalent peroxisomal disease. It is caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene. It has an estimated incidence of 1:17,000 newborns worldwide. Although it primarily affects males, heterozygous women may also develop the disease in later life. X-ALD is characterized by the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), leading to a neurodegenerative disorder where the most affected tissues are the spinal cord, the brain and the adrenal cortex. The CNS-related effects lead to two main phenotypes: adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), characterized by progressive motor dysfunction, and cerebral ALD (cALD), characterized by severe neuroinflammation leading to early death. The only alternative to manage cALD is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) but this approach does not prevent the development of AMN during adulthood, for which there is currently no approved treatment option available.About leriglitazoneLeriglitazone (MIN-102) is a novel, brain penetrant, orally bioavailable and selective PPAR agonist that engages the target receptor at the levels required for efficacy within the central nervous system (CNS). It has demonstrated efficacy in animal models of multiple disease modulating pathways leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, demyelination and axonal degeneration. Leriglitazone has the potential to treat several CNS disorders, including orphan diseases, such as X-ALD (X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy) and Friedreichs Ataxia. A Phase 1 clinical study was successfully completed confirming that leriglitazone is well tolerated and is able to cross the blood brain barrier and engage PPAR within the central nervous system at an equivalent level as in preclinical studies. Leriglitazone has completed enrolment in ADVANCE, a two-year double-blind, placebo-controlled, pivotal Phase 2/3 study in adult patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN)and recruitment is ongoing in NEXUS, a pivotal open-label study in pediatric cALD patients. Leriglitazone has also completed enrolment in FRAMES, a one year double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in patients with Friedreichs Ataxia. Results from ADVANCE and FRAMES are expected by the end of 2020and results from NEXUS are expected in 2021. Leriglitazone has obtained Orphan Drug Designation from the European Commission and the FDA in X-ALD and Friedreichs Ataxia.About Minoryx TherapeuticsMinoryx is a clinical stage biotech company focusing on the development of novel therapies for orphan CNS diseases with high unmet medical needs. The companys lead program, leriglitazone (MIN-102), a novel, selective PPAR agonist, is currently being evaluated in X-ALD and Friedreichs Ataxia. The company is backed by a syndicate of experienced investors, which includes Ysios Capital, HealthEquity, Kurma Partners, Chiesi Ventures, Roche Venture Fund, Caixa Capital Risc, Idinvest Partners, Fund+, S.R.I.W, Sambrinvest and SFPI-FPIM, and has support from a network of other organizations. Minoryx was founded in 2011, has operations in Spain and Belgium and has so far raised a total of more than 50M.www.minoryx.com

SOURCE: Minoryx Therapeutics

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Minoryx Therapeutics doses first patient with leriglitazone in registration-enabling cALD NEXUS trial | Small Molecules | News Channels -...

CINCINNATI, May 12, 2020 The explosion in cellular immunotherapy that has revolutionized cancer care in recent years may soon begin showing potential application in treatment for lupus and other autoimmune diseases, thanks to a laboratory breakthrough led by experts at Cincinnati Children's and published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

In cancer, CAR T-cell therapy involves engineering T cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) that allow them to recognize specific molecules on the surface of tumor cells. For certain forms of leukemia, some lung cancers, and other malignancies, this form of cellular immunotherapy has been life-changing for patients. Recent evidence suggests engineering natural killer (NK) cells to express CAR may be equally effective as T cells but with increased safety and clinical feasibility.

There is growing interest in the safety and efficacy of applying CAR cellular therapies to deadly and incurable autoimmune diseases. However, finding specific cell targets for diseases such as lupus has been much more difficultuntil now.

In a first-of-its-kind discovery, a team of Cincinnati Children's scientists led by Seth Reighard, PhD, Stephen Waggoner, PhD, and Hermine Brunner, MD, MSc, MBA, has engineered a CAR with the potential to revolutionize care of patients with lupus. When expressed by human NK cells, this CAR enables targeted elimination of T follicular helper (TFH) cells without harming other types of T-cells.

This treatment showed specificity in human cells in lab tests, and improved disease measures in a humanized mouse model of lupustwo key early signs of progress that suggest further research is warranted.

"This is the first method to specifically remove an otherwise intractable population of harmful cells," Waggoner says. "We think targeting them will be safe and clinically beneficial in multiple diseases. Our approach started with lupus because the disease is a leading cause of death in young women for which a cure is presently lacking."

The study appears in the first issue of the new, open access journal Cell Reports Medicine, which also carries a commentary about this new approach from Cecile King, PhD, an immunology expert at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia.

"Dysregulated TFH cells are associated with the development and severity of several autoimmune diseases and T cell malignancies," King states. "Indeed, the central role of TFH cells in many diseases has made them a major target for therapeutic modulation. The study by Reighard et al. provides exciting proof-of-principle evidence for the use of CAR NK cells in TFH-driven diseases."

How do CAR NK cells work?

The lupus-driving cells that the team wanted to eliminate lack cell-surface targets unique enough to distinguish them from other, desirable cells. To achieve selective targeting, the team realized a cardinal feature of TFH cells that could be exploited by carefully engineering the biochemistry of the CAR molecule.

Specifically, TFH express much greater quantities of a surface receptor, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), than other cells that also express this receptor. Since activation of a CAR expressing NK cell is dependent on the strength of interaction between the CAR and its target receptor, as well as the number of such interactions between an NK cell and a target, the team engineered a CAR with relatively weak binding to PD-1. As a result, only cells like TFH that exhibit high expression of PD-1 trigger activation of the CAR NK and are eliminated as a result, which cells with lower levels of PD-1, including regulatory T cell (Treg) and memory T cells, are spared.

These programmed killer cells show early signs of potential as a therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which affects 20-150 per 100,000 people in the U.S. In fact, lupus ranks in the five causes of death among African American and Hispanic women, aged 15-34.

In addition, aberrant TFH responses play roles in several other autoimmune diseases, including Sjgren syndrome, juvenile dermatomyositis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Although the potential toxicity of selectively eliminating TFH remains unexplored, the preservation of naive and memory CD4 T cells as well as B cells and other types of immune cells suggests that the state of immunodeficiency induced by these CAR NK cells will be far less severe than other immunotherapeutic strategies applied to autoimmune disease (e.g., rituximab).

Discovery based on years of research

This advance in CAR technology build upon previous work by Waggoner and colleagues in 2015 and 2018 that revealed how NK cells play surprising regulatory roles in infection and autoimmune disease.

The conceptual connections between infections and autoimmune diseases were further strengthened by a discovery led by John Harley, MD, PhD, and colleagues at Cincinnati Children's. In a 2018 study in Nature Genetics, they revealed how the Epstein-Barr virus uses groups of transcription factors to alter human DNA in ways that can increase a person's risk of developing lupus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other diseases.

What's Next?

More work is needed to determine how much benefit can be gained by disrupting the role of TFH cells in lupus and other conditions. Concerns to address also include how to prevent the killer cells from attacking non-targeted "good" cells, and how to efficiently deliver the therapeutic cells.

Researchers are working to develop "suicide switches" for CAR NK cells that would make them safer for clinical use, Waggoner says. But importantly, NK cells appear to pose lower toxicity risk than CAR T-cell therapies in multiple clinical trials in cancer patients. Given the contributions of T cells to disease pathogenesis in lupus and other autoimmune disease, therapeutic NK cells likely yield additional benefit in these contexts.

Although the present study was performed with a human NK-cell line approved for clinical use by the FDA, the team envisions flexibility in the clinical application of the new CAR to lupus. CAR engineering of patient cells or cells from unrelated donors, including cord blood or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells, have all demonstrated excellent safety profiles while maintaining desirable efficacy in clinical trials.

"The CAR can be introduced to various effector cells using mRNA transfection, transposons, or viral vectors, Waggoner says. "Freezers full of CAR-expressing induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells would provide an off-the-shelf product that could be rapidly and repeatedly administered to numerous patients in order to quell harmful flares of disease activity and promote sustained disease remission.

"If successes continue, a clinical trial might be possible within the next few years," Waggoner says.

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Novel CAR NK-cell technology could lead to new treatments for lupus, other incurable diseases - Stockhouse

Genespire and SR-Tiget announce strategic alliance for the development of transformative gene therapies for genetic diseases and disclose collaboration focus

Pre-clinical data from SR-Tiget, included in the alliance with Genespire, to be presented at ASGCT 23rd Annual Meeting

Italy, Milan, 13 May 2020: The San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), one of the worlds leading gene therapy research institutes jointly managed by Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele and Genespire, a gene therapy company developing transformative therapies for genetic diseases, and spin-out of SR-Tiget, announced today their alliance on the research and development of candidate therapeutic products for people affected by primary immunodeficiencies and metabolic diseases based on novel gene editing and lentiviral vector technologies developed by SR-Tiget.

Genespire was co-founded in March 2020 by SR-Tiget director and gene therapy pioneer Prof. Luigi Naldini and Dr. Alessio Cantore, Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele. Genespire recently raised 16 million in a Series A financing round from Sofinnova Partners.

Under the terms of the alliance, Genespire and SR-Tiget will study and further develop novel gene therapies, which have the unique potential to address severe unmet medical need and exploit gene editing and lentiviral vector technologies developed by SR-Tiget.

Genespire was granted an exclusive global license for the research, development and commercialization of gene therapies for metabolic diseases based on SR-Tigets alloantigen free, microRNA-regulated lentiviral vectors, which allow for stable liver gene therapy even for diseases with early onset, requiring administration at a young age.

Genespire was also granted exclusive licenses and options to the results of a joint research and development program with SR-Tiget in the T-cell and Hematopoietic Stem Cells field to address genetic diseases, in particular primary immunodeficiencies, exploiting the ex vivo gene editing technology. SR-Tiget and Genespire will first collaborate to bring an ex-vivo autologous edited T-cell gene therapy for X-linked Hyper IgM syndrome (HIGM1) to the clinic, which becomes Genespires lead candidate product. HIGM1 is caused by inherited mutations of the CD40 ligand gene (CD40L), resulting in impaired antibody response and innate immunity, meaning that people find it difficult to fight off infections and eventually succumb to them. The treatment objective is to correct the defective gene through targeted editing of the endogenous locus, thereby maintaining physiological regulation of the CD40L gene, with the aim of improving the immune response of the patients.

Preclinical results of SR-Tiget on HIGM1 will be disclosed in an oral presentation at the American Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ASGCT) 23rd Annual Meeting, taking place virtually from 12-15 May 2020 by SR-Tiget (details of Presentation 1 below). The presentation will outline the technology and its preclinical validation in the disease model and patient derived cells and discuss the potential of the gene edited T-cell treatment approach for patients with Hyper IgM.

Dr. Alessio Cantore will also present novel data related to the potential of the lentiviral vector platform for liver gene therapy in an oral presentation at ASGCT (details of Presentation 2 below). The presentation will focus on investigating the stability of lentiviral vector genetically modified liver cells following post-natal liver growth in mice, in view of its potential application to pediatric patients.

Luigi Naldini, Director of SR-Tiget and scientific co-founder of Genespire said: We are excited to have secured a path for bringing forward some of the gene therapy work pioneered at SR-Tiget to eventually help individuals affected by severe metabolic and immunodeficiency disorders. SR-Tigets alliance with Genespire will provide the means to progress effectively to clinical trials, with a strong view to develop efficacious and safe medicines ready for market access.

Julia Berretta, Chief Executive Officer of Genespire commented: SR-Tiget brings outstanding expertise and significant experience in developing gene therapies from bench to bedside. We believe that our strong partnership with SR-Tiget, led by internationally recognized experts Prof. Luigi Naldini and Dr. Alessio Cantore will be fundamental for Genespire to carry out its goal of translating pioneering science into transformative therapeutic solutionsfor patients.

-ENDS-

Oral presentation 1 details: Title: Modeling, Optimization and Comparative Efficacy of HSC- and T-cell Based Editing Strategies for Treating Hyper IgM Syndrome Authors: Valentina Vavassori, Elisabetta Mercuri, Genni Marcovecchio, Maria Carmina Castiello, Giulia Schiroli , Luisa Albano, Elena Fontana, Andrea Annoni, Valentina Capo, Carrie Margulies, Frank Buquicchio, Joseph Kovacs, Eugenio Scanziani, Cecilia Cotta-Ramusino, Anna Villa, Luigi Naldini, Pietro Genovese Date and time: May 14th 2020, 3:45 PM EDT Session: 354 Gene Therapies for Hemophilia and Immune Disorders Abstract #937 Oral Presentation 2 Details Title: Investigating the stability of lentiviral vector targeted liver cells during post-natal growth for in vivo gene therapy applications Authors: Michela Milani, Francesco Starinieri, Cesare Canepari, Tongyao Liu, Federica Moalli, Gioia Ambrosi, Tiziana Plati, Mauro Biffi, Cesare Covino, Timothy Nichols, Matteo Iannacone, Robert Peters, Luigi Naldini, Alessio Cantore Date and time: May 14th 2020, 4:15 pm EDT Session: 350 RNA Virus Vectors Abstract #911

Notes to Editors

About Hyper IgM Syndrome (HIGM)

Hyper IgM is a Primary Immune Deficiency affecting 1:250,000-500,000 patients. The disease is linked to mutations in the CD40L gene, which is expressed in activated CD4 T cells, and results in impaired antibody production and innate immunity. The current standard of care is constituted by continuous Ig replacement, and antibiotic-antifungal prophylaxis, but the disease is still linked to high morbidity and reduced life expectancy. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is potentially curative, but is limited by matched donor availability and is associated with high risk of graft versus host disease, infections and death. Thus, improved therapeutic alternatives are strongly needed.

About Genespire

Genespire is a biotechnology company focused on the development of transformative gene therapies for patients affected by genetic diseases, particularly primary immunodeficiencies and inherited metabolic diseases. Based in Milan, Italy, Genespire was founded in March 2020 by the gene therapy pioneer Prof. Luigi Naldini and Dr. Alessio Cantore, Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele. It is a spin-off of SR-Tiget, a world leading cell and gene therapy research institute and is backed by Sofinnova Partners. http://www.genespire.com

About SR-Tiget

Based in Milan, Italy, the San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) is a joint venture between the Ospedale San Raffaele and Fondazione Telethon. SR-Tiget was established in 1995 to perform research on gene transfer and cell transplantation and translate its results into clinical applications of gene and cell therapies for different genetic diseases. Over the years, the Institute has given a pioneering contribution to the field with relevant discoveries in vector design, gene transfer strategies, stem cell biology, identity and mechanism of action of innate immune cells. SR-Tiget has also established the resources and framework for translating these advances into novel experimental therapies and has implemented several successful gene therapy clinical trials for inherited immunodeficiencies, blood and storage disorders, which have already treated >115 patients and have led through collaboration with industrial partners to the filing and approval of novel advanced gene therapy medicines.

About Fondazione Telethon

Fondazione Telethon is a non-profit organisation created in 1990 as a response to the appeals of a patient association group of stakeholders, who saw scientific research as the only real opportunity to effectively fight genetic diseases. Thanks to the funds raised through the television marathon, along with other initiatives and a network of partners and volunteers, Telethon finances the bestscientific research on rare genetic diseases, evaluated and selected by independent internationally renowned experts, with the ultimate objective of making the treatments developed available to everyone who needs them. Throughout its 30 years of activity, Fondazione Telethon has invested more than 528 million in funding more than 2.630 projects to study more than 570 diseases, involving over 1.600 scientists. Fondazione Telethon has made a significant contribution to the worldwide advancement of knowledge regarding rare genetic diseases and of academic research and drug development with a view to developing treatments. For more information, please visit:www.telethon.it

About Ospedale San Raffaele

Ospedale San Raffaele (OSR) is a clinical-research-university hospital established in 1971 to provide international-level specialised care for the most complex and difficult health conditions. OSR is part ofGruppo San Donato, the leading hospital group in Italy. The hospital is a multi-specialty center with over 60 clinical specialties; it is accredited by the Italian National Health System to provide care to both public and private, national and international patients. Research at OSR focuses on integrating basic, translational and clinical activities to provide the most advanced care to our patients. The institute is recognized as a global authority in molecular medicine and gene therapy, and is at the forefront of research in many other fields. Ospedale San Raffaele is a first-class institute which treats many diseases and stands out for the deep interaction between clinical and scientific area. This makes the transfer of scientific results from the laboratories to the patients bed easier. Its mission is to improve knowledge of diseases, identify new therapies and encourage young scientists and doctor to grow professionally. For more information, please visit:www.hsr.it

Enquiries: Genespire Julia Berretta, CEOTel: +39 02 83991300info@genespire.com Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell / Matthew Neal Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700genespire@consilium-comms.com

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Genespire and SR-Tiget announce strategic alliance for the development of transformative gene therapies for genetic diseases and disclose...

In 2004, 60 Minutes aired a segment on what it called virus hunters, scientists searching for bugs that can leap from animals to humans and cause pandemics. What worries me the most is that we are going to miss the next emerging disease, said a scientist named Peter Daszak, describing his fear of a coronavirus that moves from one part of the planet to another, wiping out people as it moves along.

In the intervening years, Daszak became president of the EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit research organization focused on emerging pandemics. EcoHealth worked with Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology to study coronaviruses in bats that could infect humans, and, as Science magazine put it, to develop tools that could help researchers create diagnostics, treatments and vaccines for human outbreaks. Since 2014, the EcoHealth Alliance has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health, until its funding was abruptly cut two weeks ago.

The reason, as 60 Minutes reported on Sunday evening, was a conspiracy theory spread by Representative Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who in March wore a gas mask on the House floor to mock concern about the new coronavirus. On April 14, Gaetz appeared on Tucker Carlsons Fox News show and claimed that the N.I.H. grant went to the Wuhan Institute, which Gaetz intimated might have been the source of the virus the institute may have birthed a monster, in his words.

The first of Gaetzs claims was flatly false, and the second unlikely; the C.I.A. has reportedly found no evidence of a link between the virus and the Wuhan lab. But at a White House briefing a few days later, a reporter from the right-wing website Newsmax told President Trump that under Barack Obama, the N.I.H. gave the Wuhan lab a $3.7 million grant. Why would the U.S. give a grant like that to China? she asked.

In fact, Trumps administration had recently renewed EcoHealths grant, but Trump didnt appear to know that. The Obama administration gave them a grant of $3.7 million? he asked. Then he said, We will end that grant very quickly.

And they did. But ending the grant dealt a blow to efforts to find treatments and a vaccine for the coronavirus. Remdesivir, the antiviral drug thats shown some promise in Covid-19 patients, was earlier tested against bat viruses EcoHealth discovered. Now the nonprofit is facing layoffs.

This political hit on Daszaks work is far from the only way that the Trump administrations contempt for science has undermined Americas coronavirus response. Conservative antipathy to science is nothing new; Republicans have long denied and denigrated the scientific consensus on issues from evolution to stem cell research to climate change. This hostility has several causes, including populist distrust of experts, religious rejection of information that undermines biblical literalism and efforts by giant corporations to evade regulation.

But its grown worse under Trump, with his authoritarian impulse to quash any facts, from inauguration crowd sizes to hurricane paths, that might reflect poorly on him.

Until recently, it seemed as if Trumps sabotage of efforts to combat climate change would be the most destructive legacy of his disregard for science. But the coronavirus has presented the country with an emergency that only sound science can solve. That means that the Trump administrations disdain for expertise, its elevation of slavish loyalty over technical competence, has become a more immediate threat.

Months before this pandemic began, Reuters reported, the Trump administration axed the job of an epidemiologist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in China to help detect emerging disease outbreaks. As the pandemic raged, the administration removed Rick Bright, one of Americas premier experts on vaccine development, from an agency overseeing efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Last week Bright filed a whistle-blower complaint claiming hed suffered retaliation because he resisted funding potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections and by the administration itself. (A federal watchdog agency has called for him to be reinstated pending its investigation.)

Another whistle-blower complaint, filed by a former volunteer on the coronavirus team assembled by Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, claims the effort has been beset by inexperience and incompetence. The Associated Press reported on how the White House buried guidance from the C.D.C. on how communities could safely reopen. Now the president is urging Americans to return to work even as the White House itself has proved unable to keep the coronavirus at bay.

According to Axios, Trump has even privately started expressing skepticism of the coronaviruss death toll, suggesting its lower than official statistics say. (Most experts believe the opposite.) A senior administration official said he expects the president to begin publicly questioning the death toll as it closes in on his predictions for the final death count and damages him politically, reported Axios. The Trump administrations approach to the coronavirus began with denialism, and thats likely how it will end.

Any progress America makes in fighting Covid-19 will be in spite of its federal government, not because of it. I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science not politics or cronyism has to lead the way, Dr. Bright said when he went public with his complaint in April. Trump wont let that happen. Hed rather essentially give up on combating it at all.

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Were All Casualties of Trumps War on Coronavirus Science - The New York Times

Viruses have been around far longer than humans and will likely outlast them. There are millions of types and thousands of species of viruses. A virus does not reproduce, but replicates on contact with a living cell. A virus is not capable of auto-mobility, but must be transported between living organisms by direct or indirect contact. Scientists do not consider the virus as dead or alive; the poliovirus, for example, if stored at minus 20 centigrade, can be kept in suspended animationinert yet potentindefinitely.

A quarter-century ago, the relation between humans and viruses was seen as an implacable war of two worlds. Accordingly, viruses and other invading hordes continuously attack the human immune system, which, through antibodies, attempts to defend itself. Last February, SARS-CoV-2 was crowned an agent of global disease. From China to the US, all nations bowed before this coronated virus that colonised its human hosts to propagate. Deferring to the invisible threat against all humanity, many nations imposed a lockdown.

The lockdown is designed to slow down but not eliminate death and disease, and as such resembles a military strategy called defence in depth. That strategy does not presume to stop or rebuff an overwhelming enemy force with a firmly defended front. Instead, the enemy is allowed to advance into the interior, inducing it to stretch and diffuse its forces. By delaying a frontal confrontation, the defenders get time to shore up defences and mount counterattacks. The lockdown suppresses the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by confining its potential agents. The period of confinement is used to increase the availability of hospital beds, ventilators and protective equipment. The population is then released from confinement at a rate never greater than the capacity of health facilities.

The results of a model made by a highly regarded scientific team from Imperial College, London, predicted 5,10,000 Britons would die from Covid-19 if no measures were taken to stem the disease. A few weeks later a rival scientific model from Oxford predicted far fewer deaths. By assuming social distancing and recalibrating the model parameters, the original team reduced its own estimate of excess deaths by 98% to about 10,000. Similarly, the results of a model by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Seattle, Washington, suggested between 1,00,000 and 2,40,000 Americans would die from the virus even with social distancing policies in place. Ten days later, the revised IHME estimate of the same number was 61,000. The wild swings in estimates prove why modelled results cannot be confused with evidence.

The often-heard appeal that politicians should give way to professionals is to ask for government by experts. But a technocracy is not a democracy. Nor is it a remedy for an oligarchy, much less for an incipient autocracy. At least notionally, modern political regimes acknowledge that the power of governments to make laws, implement them and judge infractions against them must be separated. Hence, the well-known architecture of distinct but overlapping legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

Two pandemics: There are two pandemics underway. In the strict sense of all people, (Greek: pan demos), Covid-19 is the lesser pandemic. The fear of the virus is the greater pandemic. Far fewer people have been infected by it than are aware of it. The smallpox virus that decimated much of the aboriginal peoples on the American continents was carried from Europe at the speed of ships. Sars-CoV-2 travels at the speed of jet planes. Throughout human history, infectious agents have been carried at the speed of human travel along trade routes. In the 21st century, the fear of the virus moves at the speed of what the screen shows.

Flattening the curve is the popular way to explain the mechanics of the lockdown. The curve shows the expected number of infected humans over a period of time. By instituting behavioural controls like handwashing and limiting large gatherings, the number of cases can be kept at or below the healthcare system capacity, which includes nurses, doctors, ICUs, ventilators and the like. Calibrating the number of expected deaths by available hospital resources is an exercise in the field of supply chain management, well known to industrial engineers and hospital administrators. It was this style of just-in-time management that previously gutted the facilities so much that it caused New York hospitals to be almost overwhelmed by sick patients during the flu season of 2018. Then, excess capacity was reduced. Now, excess infections are flattened.

The law to care: The feeling of doom is in the air. The lockdown has exacerbated the sense of catastrophe. Whether they are the migrant workers massed on the borders of Indian states or the millions in the US who have lost their jobs, many are suddenly cast adrift without a livelihood. Countless more experience the menace of an invisible pestilence, not knowing when they will be released from confinement, anxious about ever being freed from continuous and intimate surveillance. A low-grade fever of panic and consternation afflicts many millions across the world. Some have begun to express this in acts of surly rebellion. Others mutely comply waiting for the ill-wind to blow over. Many, if not all, wish the program to save lives will work swiftly and that life will return to normal.

Sars-CoV-2 is neither alive nor dead. It transitioned out of suspended animation to infect its human hosts. In their fight against it, humans parodied the virus and made obvious that the condition of suspended animation is not aberrant. The question is whether the normalcy of a fetishised life and its supporting apparatuses will remain at the epicentre of what is to come.

Sajay Samuel

Author of Beyond Economics and Ecology & professor at State College, Pennsylvania

(Email ID: sxs26@psu.edu)

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Viruses, humans and suspended animation - The New Indian Express

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More than 246000 Covid-19 cases in Mena - MEED

A new treatment that helps to relieve coronavirus symptoms could be brought to market in three months' time if further trials go well, according to a researcher involved in the project.

"It's very early to say at this stage," said Dr.Fatima al-Kaabi, head of hematology and oncology at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in the United Arab Emirates.

"We've been happy that our initial safety results are promising, that's why we're heading into the next phase, of effectiveness of this treatment," she told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Monday.

"If all ... went well and it worked well, then I would propose ... three months' time," she said, when asked how quickly the treatment, which was developed by doctors and researchersat the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center, could reach the market.

To date, there are no known vaccines or specific antiviral medicines against Covid-19.U.S. health officials say developing a vaccine will take at least 12 to 18 months.

The UAE has 14,163 cases and126 deaths due to the coronavirus, based on data from Johns Hopkins University.

The remedy uses a "minimally invasive" method where a Covid-19 patient's stem cells are extracted, activated and turned into a fine mist to be inhaled. This alleviates symptoms such as shortness of breath and possibly coughing, said Dr. al-Kaabi.

"It is hypothesized to have its therapeutic effect by regenerating lung cells and modulating the immune response to keep it from overreacting to the COVID-19 infection and causing further damage to healthy cells,"the UAE's ministry of health and preventionsaid a statement.

Some 73 patients with moderate to severe symptoms received this treatment, and all were "successfully treated and cured," the statement said, adding that none reported "immediate adverse effects." Around a quarter of these patients were intubated and in the intensive care unit.

The treatment was given along with "conventional medical intervention" and will not replace established protocols, according to the statement.

"We're hopeful," said Dr. al-Kaabi, noting that the results of further trials on the efficacy of the treatment will only be out a couple of weeks' time. "We've seen (a) favorable outcome."

Another treatment for the coronavirus, an antiviral drug from Gilead Sciences, has been in the spotlight following positive preliminary results from trials. America's Food and DrugAdministration granted the medicine emergency use authorization last week. That means doctors can administerremdesivir to patients hospitalized with Covid-19, even though the drug has not undergone the same FDA review as other treatments.

Separately, researchers cut short a study testing anti-malaria drug chloroquine as a potential Covid-19 treatment last month. The drug gained widespread international attention after two small studies published in France found the coronavirus infection cleared a lot faster for patients taking it when compared to a control group.

However, citing a high risk of death, scientists have now scrapped the trials, warning it should prompt some degree of skepticism from the public toward enthusiastic claims of the drug. President Donald Trump had touted chloroquine as a potential "game changer" in the fight against the virus.

CNBC'sBerkeley Lovelace Jr. andWilliam Feuer contributed to this report.

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Stem cell treatment in the UAE sees 'favorable' outcomes for coronavirus patients - CNBC