Australian biotech company CSL is developing a plasma product to treat people with serious COVID-19 infection, based on the principles of convalescent plasma transfusions
That’s all for today on The Medical Republic‘s live COVID-19 blog.
Thanks to our sponsor and supporter for funding this project with an independent grant, Boehringer Ingelheim.
The latest
- AMA cautions against rushing to ease COVID-19 restrictions.
- CSL to develop COVID-19 immunoglobulin from plasma of recovered patients.
- Genetic study of 7666 SARS-CoV-2 genomes explores genetic diversity and mutations.
4.30pm, 6 May
- There are plenty of patterns available online if you want to sew your own cloth face coverings, but if you’re looking for the medically-approved version, the US Centers for Disease Control has you covered … literally.
They’ve put their own instructions for sewing a cloth face mask online; not just one but three options, including a no-sew bandanna version and one where you chop up your least favourite T-shirt (kids – DON’T DO THIS WITHOUT CHECKING THAT YOU’RE NOT ABOUT TO DESTROY YOUR MUM’S FAVOURITE ANTIQUE SLAYER T-SHIRT FROM THAT GIG WHERE SHE CROWD-SURFED ONTO THE STAGE AND GOT CARRIED OFF BY A BOUNCER).
4pm, 6 May
- With Friday’s national cabinet meeting expected to announce the next phase of easing restrictions in Australia, the AMA has cautioned against rushing this stage.
“Australia’s success in avoiding the worst of COVID-19 is because health concerns have been prioritised by National Cabinet, and decisions have been based on expert medical advice,” said AMA President Dr Tony Bartone in a statement. “If restrictions are lifted too fast and a second wave occurs, infecting more Australians, the process of re-imposing isolation would be far worse for the health of the population and for the economy than a cautious relaxation of restrictions.”
Last week Prime Minister Scott Morrison flagged the possibility of Australia getting an ‘early mark’ because many of the conditions of lifting restrictions were being met, including adherence to social distancing, adequate provision of PPE, and expansion of testing capacity.
However the AMA says its medical advice stays the same until a vaccine is developed, and singled out the rush to resume the NRL competition as presenting a significant risk both to players and to those they interact with.
- Australian biotech company CSL is developing a plasma product to treat people with serious COVID-19 infection, based on the principles of convalescent plasma transfusions.
According to CSL, COVID-19 Immunoglobulin will be developed as an investigational product using donations of plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19, and therefore have high levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in their blood.
The company estimates that up to 800 plasma donations will be needed to make enough immunoglobulin to treat 50-100 people.
CSL’s plan is first to use that immunoglobulin to develop tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and then to trial the immunoglobulin as a treatment itself.
The product will be manufactured in Australia and tested in Australian hospitals.
Meanwhile, immunologist Professor Stuart Tangye from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research said in a press conference that while researchers were seeing similar types of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 as are typically seen with viral infections, it was too early to judge how long that immunity would last. However the biomarkers that would normally be used to measure immune response to a virus, and which are a sign of “immune memory”, were present in patients who had recovered from COVID-19.
However, it was far too early to say which antibodies were active against the virus, and therefore too early to entertain the idea of “immunity passports” based on available antibody tests, he said.
Professor Kirsten Perrett from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute added that protection might depend not only on antibodies but also on a cell-mediated response.
- A study of 7666 SARS-CoV-2 genomes points to a common ancestor that jumped from animals to humans late in 2019, and suggests that most countries were ‘seeded’ by a number of different introductions to the virus.
“The genomic diversity of the global SARS-CoV-2 population being recapitulated in multiple countries points to extensive worldwide transmission of COVID-19, likely from extremely early on in the pandemic,” researchers wrote in the journal Infection, Genetics and Evolution this week.
The study also identified 290 mutations at 198 different locations across the SARS-CoV-2 genome, but the vast majority of these were neutral or even harmful to the virus itself. However some were favourable to the virus, which suggests that the virus is adapting to its human host. So far though, the authors said there’s no evidence that new forms of the virus are emerging.
On a positive note, the authors commented on the incredible volume of genetic sequencing data that had been shared globally for SARS-CoV-2 – more than11,000 complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were available at the time of writing – which has helped rapid understanding of the origin and nature of the virus, and will underpin vaccine and drug development.
- A COVID-19 outbreak in a meat processing plant in Victoria has now been linked to 45 cases, but that’s nothing compared to the how the virus has rampaged through the meat-packing industry in the US. As of yesterday, more than 6500 workers have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 – not including the collateral cases in nearby communities – at least 30 have died and 22 facilities have shut down.
According to a report on NBC News, these US facilities are notorious for overcrowded work spaces and break rooms, poor ventilation, and an occupational health and safety track record that would put the ancient Egyptian pyramid builders to shame.
The Victorian meat processing facility has now closed for two weeks and a ‘thorough clean’, the Victorian health department says.
- Here are today’s confirmed COVID-19 infection figures around Australia:
National – 6849 (up 24) with 96 deaths and 5889 recovered
ACT – 107
NSW – 3035
NT – 29
QLD – 1043
SA – 438
TAS – 223
VIC – 1423
WA – 551
And if you’re thinking you want to move somewhere that’s COVID-19 free, your only option is Turkmenistan (if you take their notoriously unreliable health statistics at face value). Otherwise, consider the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada, where so far only a single case has been reported.
Disclaimer: The content on the Medical Republic COVID-19 blog is independently created by Medical Republic without input from Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd. The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Medical Republic COVID-19 blog are Medical Republic’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd. Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any content on the Medical Republic COVID-19 blog.
