COVID-19: UAE treats 2,000 virus patients with novel stem cell therapy
At least 1,200 have recovered completely using UAECell19
Abu Dhab: The Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre (ADSCC) has now treated more than 2,000 patients suffering from COVID-19, with 1,200 already fully recovered from the effects of the virus.
ADSCC announced today that it had succeeded in ramping up the number of treatments from 73 in the initial clinical trials. The large increase was a result of a major effort by staff at the centre to treat as many people as possible, following the UAE Government’s decision to make it available free of charge to all moderate-to-high risk COVID-19 patients in the country.
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The Government’s decision came after the treatment, branded UAECell19, demonstrated efficacy and an impressive safety profile was reflected in the absence of significant changes in adverse events reported, absence of any unexpected serious reactions (such as anaphylaxis, allergic reactions or sudden death) and an absence of any lung complications as determined by radiological exams from inhalation of the nebulised product.
A team of doctors and researchers at ADSCC, led by Dr Yendry Ventura, announced in May that they had developed a new treatment for COVID-19 patients. UAECell19, an autologous stem cell-based therapy, appears to help the body fight the virus and makes the virus less harmful.
Quicker recovery
Following an initial trial, researchers were able to conclude that UAECell19 reduced the duration of hospitalisation from 22 days to just six, when compared to patients who had received standard treatment.
Further analyses revealed that patients treated with the stem cells were 3.1 times more likely to recover in less than seven days than those treated with standard therapy, and 67 per cent of the patients who received stem cell treatment owed this recovery to the new treatment.
ADSCC has since secured intellectual property rights protection for UAECell19, which opens the way for the treatment to be shared widely so more patients can benefit from it.
ADSCC said researchers are at various stages of investigative efforts to establish effectiveness (Phase 3 trial), optimal efficacy of dosage and efficacy to treat other respiratory diseases such asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis.