A new coronavirus treatment has been hailed a ‘game-changer’ in the fight against COVID-19.
The treatment was developed by a team at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre, and involves extracting stem cells from the patient’s own blood, activating them, and reintroducing them to the patient.
Hend Al-Otaiba, Director of Strategic Communications at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said: “A UAE research institute has developed a breakthrough treatment for COVID-19 which could be a game-changer in the global fight against the virus.”
So far, the treatment has been administered to 73 coronavirus patients, who inhaled the activated stem cells into their lungs.
Amazingly, all 73 patents were successfully treated and made a full recovery.
In a statement about the research, the team explained: “It is hypothesised to have its therapeutic effect by regenerating lung cells and modulating the immune response to keep it from overreacting to the COVID-19 infection and causing further damage to healthy cells.”
Thankfully, none of the patients who received the treatment reported any immediate side effects.
The team now plans to continue trials to demonstrate the efficacy of the treatment, and expects these tests to be completed in a couple of weeks.
The researchers added: “It is worth noting that the treatment has been given to patients along with the conventional medical intervention and will continue to be applied as an adjunct to established treatment protocols rather than as a replacement.”
The stem cell treatment is one of many being studied by researchers around the world.
Last week, scientists from the University of Louisville revealed that they have developed a technology that they believe could stop the virus from infecting human cells.
The technology is based on a piece of synthetic DNA called an aptamer, which targets and binds with a human protein called nucleolin.
While the research is still in its early phase, tests indicate that this aptamer could stop the coronavirus from ‘hijacking’ nucleolin to replicate inside the body.
