QUB researchers trial respiratory treatment

This clinical trial, led by Professor Danny McAuley and Professor Cecilia O’Kane, is investigating the use of allogenic Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in patients with a complication known as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by Covid-19.

In the most critically unwell patients with Covid-19, many develop a complication known as ARDS. In ARDS the lungs become inflamed and leaky so they fill with fluid. This causes respiratory failure and patients may require admission to intensive care and a ventilator machine to support their breathing.

The trial involves the use of MSCs, a type of cell derived from human tissue such as bone marrow or umbilical cord (which is otherwise discarded after the baby is born), to treat the injury to the lung caused by Covid-19. MSCs are a novel treatment that have been shown in experimental models to reduce inflammation, fight infection and improve repair of injured tissue.

Professor Ian Young, Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department of Health, said: “We have contributed £230,000 for this vital research which will provide important evidence regarding a potential new treatment for respiratory failure, a leading cause of mortality in Covid-19.”

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