Hackensack Meridian Health’s convalescent plasma work enters next phase of study
The researchers at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, and their colleagues at the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) are continuing Phase 2 testing of the convalescent plasma clinical treatments – now in an outpatient setting to treat earlier and help the infected avoid hospitalization, stated the center.
The scientists and clinicians believe treating as early as possible in an outpatient setting may help survival.
The convalescent plasma program at Hackensack University Medical Center identifies the “super donors” with the greatest levels of highly-neutralizing antibodies, independently validated, as determined through methodology developed by CDI experts.
What may separate the Hackensack-based trial from other convalescent plasma trials across the nation is the application of higher levels of highly-neutralizing antibodies from survivors’ plasma – those of the so-called “super donors” whose natural defenses may hold the secret to more successfully treating the infection.
The new Phase 2 study is for infusing this potentially valuable serum into patients with early-stage COVID-19 infection who have at least one major risk factor for serious disease, in an outpatient setting. The goal is to treat the patients in the first 96 hours – with the aim to prevent hospitalization entirely.
Convalescent plasma treatments have previously been used to fight other viral outbreaks, including those of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), caused by a virus that’s a cousin to the one responsible for COVID-19, and which sickened thousands in 2002-2003.
