A new investigator-initiated clinical trial led by George Sakoulas, M.D., of Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, will study the use of IVIg as a coronavirus pandemic treatment for adults experiencing respiratory failure. Supported by Octapharma USA, the research will focus on treating the most critical patients at the heart of the coronavirus pandemic, those experiencing respiratory failure, becoming dependent on ventilators.
Specifically, the study will investigate whether or not IVIg treatment can halt COVID-19 progression to respiratory failure requiring patient transfer into intensive care and use of mechanical ventilation, and whether adding IVIg to the standard of care will reduce the number of days requiring oxygen therapy and the duration of hospital stay.
In addition to pulmonary distress, severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients may develop myocardial dysfunction, specifically, elevated cardiac biomarkers and evidence of left ventricular (LV) damage. An investigator-initiated research study led by Kelly McCants, M.D., Medical Director of the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, is investigating the use of IVIg treatment and steroids as a possible treatment regimen for patients developing heart problems.
Learn more about this effort, supported by Octapharma and BioMatrix.