COVID-19
COVID-19 is a systemic viral illness caused by the virus SARS-Cov-2.
The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2019 has become one of the most serious pandemics in human history. Currently treatment options for COVID-19 are limited. COVID-19 impacts the human body through direct viral damage and also through subsequent complications from the severe immune response to the viral infection such as cytokine storm. The current treatment targets are often focused directly at the virus itself (anti-viral drugs) or at the inflammatory cascade (e.g., monoclonal antibodies). A therapy that can address both pathophysiological processes would be very attractive. In our study, MΦ-NS has been shown to neutralize the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in a dose dependent manner. MΦ-NS has also demonstrated the capability to neutralize a broad spectrum of cytokines. The attribute of being able to “kill two birds with one stone” makes it a particularly attractive and viable treatment option for COVID-19. An added benefit of MΦ-NS is that it is agnostic to virus mutations and thus is also well positioned to be the treatment of choice for any future viral pandemics.