Kerala to try antibody from recovered patients for coronavirus treatment

Kerala is planning to commence antibody passive immunisation for COVID-19 treatment by using plasma from recovered patients, which has been reportedly tested effectively in China and the US.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has already granted nod for a project proposed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Thiruvananthapuram and a nod from the Drugs Controller of India was awaited soon.

SCTIMST director Dr. Asha Kishore told DH that already there were reports that the antibody passive immunisation was tried in China and US and it was found to be effective. As soon as the nod from the Drugs Controller of India and ethics committee was received, it could be initiated in Kerala also.

Collecting antibodies from the blood of those who recovered from COVID-19 and using it to treat the infected patients is the basic principle of the treatment. Anti-bodies against Corona could be present in plasma of recovered persons. It would be tested on highly critical patients.

Dr. Asha said that plasma would be collected from a person only the 14 days quarantine after recovering from COVID. Up to one litre plasma could be taken from a patient and only 250 ml is required for one patient. The antibody passive immunisation treatment used to be initiated in other viral infections also, she said.