The use of convalescent plasma collected from recovered individuals to protect and treat humans by passively-transfer antibodies dates back a century, with some evidence for benefit against viral pathogens.
During the MERS and SARS coronavirus outbreaks, results from small case series documented safety and faster viral clearance following convalescent plasma administration, especially when given early in the disease course.
Multiple studies have now reported on the use of convalescent plasma to treat severely affected COVID-19 patients, without unexpected or serious adverse events [1, 2]. Many patients indeed improved clinically and cleared the virus. However, because they all received at least one additional therapy, the role of the convalescent plasma treatment in these patients remains unclear.
In Luxembourg, a randomized controlled trial is currently under development to investigate whether receiving convalescent plasma showed substantial evidences on clinical safety and efficacy compared to standard of care treatments.
This project is a great opportunity to:
(1) directly benefit patients treated for COVID-19 in Luxembourg and beyond,
(2) strengthen the clinical management capacity and experience of the participating hospital(s) and institutions in the treatment of COVID-19 patients,
(3) increase Luxembourg´s visibility as a state-of-the-art treatment hub for COVID-19,
(4) complement other on-going public health studies, emphasizing the role of Luxembourg and of its clinical and research institution as an international actor in translational medicine, and
(5) provide the opportunity for high-impact scientific publications of Luxemburg institutions.
In addition and as previously reported, the use of convalescent plasma is a promising, low-cost therapy for COVID-19 patients. This treatment can be made available in a short time-span for a large group of patients all over the world, including in low income countries.
References
1. Duan, K., et al., The feasibility of convalescent plasma therapy in severe COVID-19 patients: a pilot study. medRxiv, 2020: p. 2020.03.16.20036145.
2. Salazar, E., et al., Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients with Convalescent Plasma. Am J Pathol, 2020.
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