Current Studies

[MTRJ75]

I found this latest list of studies posted by HealthRising this weekend to be interesting. Many of these have been mentioned here before, but here are some of the newer ones that caught my eye: 

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2023/01/13/long-covid-clinical-trials-big-drugs-big-studies-and-much-more/

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RSLV-132 is a “fusion protein” that’s designed to remove RNA that’s apparently escaped from the cell. We think of RNA – ribonucleic acid – as an essential component (mRNA) of the cell – but in autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s Syndrome,  it escapes outside of the cell and accumulates in the blood, where it triggers inflammation and ultimately the production of autoantibodies and autoimmune disease. RSLV-132 mops up the RNA in the blood and apparently did well in a lupus trial.

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By filtering pro-inflammatory cytokines and/or autoimmune markers (such as adrenergic receptors) out of the plasma, plasmapheresis hold promise for ME/CFS. It’s long COVID, though, that’s going to get the first somewhat major plasmapheresis trial. Teeth gnashing aside, if this – and two other trials – are successful, it should boost interest in ME/CFS.

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Efgartigimod (better known as Vyvgart) is used to treat myasthenia gravis – a disease people with ME/CFS have some acquaintance with via Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide) which is also used to treat that disease. It’s also used in lupus, Sjogren’s Syndrome and … COVID-19-caused postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which is common in ME/CFS as well. That’s the group this small 42-person Illinois study is targeting. It began in September of last year and is expected to wrap up in November of this year.

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Zofin is a new drug derived from amniotic fluid collected at childbirth that contains extracellular vesicles that can attach to cells and deliver microRNAs to them. Zofin contains microRNAs (miRNAs) that target the ACE2 receptor that the coronavirus enters the cells through. If the ACE2 receptor – which is found in cells across the body – has been gotten messed up by the coronavirus, Zofin could help return it to health. The interesting thing about the ACE2 receptor is that small studies suggest it’s messed up in ME/CFS as well.

 

[Sarah Tee]

Thank you for the link.

The first item you highlighted reminds me of the decoy protein that Dr David Kem was working on.

Mopping up “bad” molecules seems like a promising strategy, especially now that complicated molecules can be modeled with computers and their interactions tested virtually to find candidates for binding to and neutralising antibodies and other nasties.

[MTRJ75]

I'm wondering if they can do the mop up (RSLV-132, etc..), followed by the healing (Zoflin, stem cell). 

I just realized that the first trail in the article, the stem cell one, is very close to me. I may give them a call next week.