Asklepios Kliniken use of antibody therapy against COVID-19
In the treatment of COVID-19, triggered by the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is the so-called anti-body therapy in the case of an emergency so far, one of the few promising options. In the Hamburg Asklepios clinics, this therapy is used life now as from next Monday for the treatment of threat of diseased COVID-19 patients.
For the antibody therapy of blood donations from people who have recovered from COVID be obtained-19-patients and in-patients ‘ antibodies and for the production of so-called “convalescent Plasma” is used, which can then be used for the treatment. As of now, the Plasma starts in the Asklepios clinic Altona-collection, processing and therapy with this passive immunization, reports, clinics, Asklepios.
Antibody therapy to passive immunization
“With the antibodies from the blood of convalescent patients already other dangerous virus were to combat diseases, from diphtheria about the Spanish flu to Ebola”; Professor Dr. Dirk Arnold, head physician of the Department of Oncology, Haematology, palliative medicine, and rheumatology, Asklepios clinic Altona explained. The principle stay the Same: The antibody from healthy donors, who have survived the disease, intended to affect the disease course of critically ill positively by the effect of passive immunization.
A Positive impact on the course of the disease expected
In the ideal case, the antibody also COVID-19, a neutralization of the Virus, which would give seriously ill patients precious time to a virus to build up defences, the hope is that by Prof. Arnold. “We expect the new approach to therapy has a favorable effect on the disease progression of COVID-19-patients with very severe progression of the disease,” stresses the physician.
Call the plasma donation
Obtained the required “convalescent Plasma”for the anti-body therapy from the blood plasma of people who have had COVID-19, positive to the new Coronavirus (Sars-CoV 2) were tested and the onset of the disease symptoms is at least four weeks, reports the Asklepios clinics. All Hamburg residents who have survived a COVID-19-disease is not well, therefore be called to report the blood donation service Hamburg on the Hotline (040) 20 00 22 00.
Suitable donors are first summoned to a laboratory control and for proof on the necessary number of antibodies in the blood a few days sample will be taken later on the Plasma. The total donation will be taken per Plasma within 45 minutes of three bags of Plasma à 220 ml, so the message of the Asklepios clinics. The Hamburg health authority have approved the request for the production of the so-called convalescent plasma as a medicinal product in the very short term, and thus, legally, the rapid use of the new therapy approach for patients with severe, life-threatening COVID-19 infection is possible.
“The Chance of the us, the anti-body therapy, is also so valuable because it is currently the world’s still not a single really convincing other therapy approach for the control of this serious disease,” says Professor Arnold. (fp)