Investigations of plasma for treatment against covid-19, declared of national interest

Published Friday, June 5, 2020

Investigations of plasma for
treatment against covid-19,
declared of national interest

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The publication of Decree No.42369-S, the Government declared on Thursday of public and national interest the investigations to develop plasma for the treatment of patients infected with covid-19.

In Costa Rica, scientists at the Cloromiro Picado Research Institute of the University of Costa Rica and Social Security are developing two types of plasma treatment obtained from patients recovered from covid-19.

According to the government, the decree allows both public and private sector agencies, non-governmental organizations and international organizations to contribute material, economic and human resources for the successful conduct of the investigations.

On Thursday, President Carlos Alvarado visited the scientists of the Clodomiro Picado Research Institute to see the investigation advancements on plasma treatment.

"This laboratory, recognized worldwide, is national pride, which deserves all our recognition and in response to your request is that we make this declaration of public and national interest," President Alvarado said.

The two research projects that are being developed in the country are to produce and validate the therapeutic effectiveness of two treatments with antibodies against the virus.

The method developed by Social Security is based on human antibodies purified from the plasma of convalescent patients.

The Institute's research is using antibodies that are purified and obtained from the plasma of horses immunized with viral proteins.

These treatments will be an option to treat patients with severe and critical covid-19 infections and thus improve their clinical course, the government said in its statement.

According to Román Macaya, president of Social Security, if those treatment options manage to become an effective response, Costa Rica will have used its highest scientific capacity in defense of the population against a global threat.

"These treatments are essential because we will know that the country did it for itself, based on its capabilities, on the accumulated knowledge and on the conviction that we are all included and protected by social security," said Macaya.

In the case of the Institute, progress in the production of the preparation of human antibodies depends on Social Security sending them the plasma to be processed in the pharmaceutical plant.

"We need more patients to come to donate, to complete the 25 liters necessary to start production of the drug as soon as possible," said Alberto Alape director of the Institute.

There is an urgency to increase the number of donors of recovered covid-19 patients who donate their plasma, because the Institute estimates that the first batch of human immunoglobulins will be ready by the end of this month.

The first batch of equine plasma is also projected to be ready in late July. This treatment is obtained from immunized horses having already received two injections of the viral proteins. "The horses are in perfect health and their immune system is responding very well as antibodies against the virus can already be detected," Alape said.

On Wednesday four patients hospitalized in the Specialized Patient Care Center with Covid-19, known as the Covid Hospital, have already received plasma from recovered patients therapy, announced the Social Security.

The first patient that received the therapy was a 37-year-old woman. She left the hospital on Wednesday as she was in full recovery.

The most recent three patients are men aged 64, 55 and 20-years-old. They started the treatment between Saturday and Monday.

Of these patients, two presented a good evolution before treatment. However, one continues with a more delicate health condition.

The two doses of treatment therapy is applied only to patients hospitalized for covid-19.

Antibodies obtained from a recovered patient act as a barrier against the virus, helping the infected patient to recover, said Sebastián Molina-Ulloa, microbiologist at the National Blood Bank.

The immunoglobulins, or so-called antibodies, are vital proteins that perform a wide variety of functions and influence the balance of the immune system and are found in people's plasma, Molina said.

Plasma is used as a treatment for infected patients who are considered in severe or critical condition, with less than 14 days of being admitted to the hospital and who meet the criteria to receive the treatment, reported Social Security.

Each patient that requires it, will receive a plasma application in two doses equivalent to a bag of 200 milliliters each, applied 24 hours between each dosage.

Antibodies that can be transfused through plasma will have a temporary permanence in patients and will decrease as it works in the body until they disappear, which is why plasma is a treatment and not a cure against the virus, said Molina.

Since the first week of May, plasma donations from recovered covid-19 patients have been made at the National Blood Bank.

The plasma collection and processing process is carried out by specialists in microbiology, doctors, pharmacists, scientists and representatives of the Ministry of Health.

According to the Ministry of Security report, by Thursday 687 patients have recovered. And authorities confirmed that 56 donors had been treated as of Monday, which allowed them to collect 84 units of 200 milliliters each.

Recovered patients have the option to refuse to donate their blood. Those that donate their blood undergo a pre-approval process to be sure that their blood meets the requirements to be donated.

While science races to find a cure or vaccine in the country, on Thursday the Health Ministry reported 497 active cases, which are those who currently have the virus.

Authorities provided the following statistics of the evolution of the virus in the country:

• Of the 1,194 infected since the first case was detected in March, 687 coronavirus patients have fully recovered. That is equal to 59% of total recovered patients.

• The ages of those affected range from a 5-day old newborn to an 89-year-old, with an average age of 36.

• 24 patients are being treated in public hospitals, where 19 are in recovery rooms and 5 have been reported in an Intensive Care Unit, ICU, with delicate health conditions. Most of the infected patients are quarantined in their homes.

• 254 foreigners infected, of these 27 entered the country unauthorized and are jailed in the facilities of the Professional Migration Police in Heredia Province.

• 19,376 people have been ruled out.

• 28,296 medical covid-19 tests have been made.

• 10 deaths have been reported from patients infected with covid-19 since March.

The updated number of total patients in each district can be reached at the National Distance Education University on its Covid-19 Map.

As of this morning, the pandemic has killed 391,588 patients worldwide, according to recent statistics reported by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

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Should health authorities order all recovered covid-19 patients to donate blood to speed up the process of producing the treatment? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com