Interferon-α2b Treatment for COVID-19

Qiong Zhou; Virginia Chen; Casey P. Shannon; Xiao-Shan Wei; Xuan Xiang; Xu Wang; Zi-Hao Wang; Scott J. Tebbutt; Scott J. Tebbutt; Tobias R. Kollmann; Eleanor N. Fish

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.01061

Frontiers in Immunology (May 2020)

Interferon-α2b Treatment for COVID-19

Qiong Zhou,
Virginia Chen,
Casey P. Shannon,
Xiao-Shan Wei,
Xuan Xiang,
Xu Wang,
Zi-Hao Wang,
Scott J. Tebbutt,
Scott J. Tebbutt,
Tobias R. Kollmann,
Eleanor N. Fish

Affiliations

Qiong Zhou: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Virginia Chen: Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF) Centre of Excellence and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Casey P. Shannon: Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF) Centre of Excellence and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Xiao-Shan Wei: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Xuan Xiang: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Xu Wang: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Zi-Hao Wang: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Scott J. Tebbutt: Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF) Centre of Excellence and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Scott J. Tebbutt: Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Tobias R. Kollmann: Systems Vaccinology, Center for Precision Health, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
Eleanor N. Fish: Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network and Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01061
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11

Abstract

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The global pandemic of COVID-19 cases caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2 is ongoing, with no approved antiviral intervention. We describe here the effects of treatment with interferon (IFN)-α2b in a cohort of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhan, China. In this uncontrolled, exploratory study, 77 adults hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 were treated with either nebulized IFN-α2b (5 mU b.i.d.), arbidol (200 mg t.i.d.) or a combination of IFN-α2b plus arbidol. Serial SARS-CoV-2 testing along with hematological measurements, including cell counts, blood biochemistry and serum cytokine levels, and temperature and blood oxygen saturation levels, were recorded for each patient during their hospital stay. Treatment with IFN-α2b with or without arbidol significantly reduced the duration of detectable virus in the upper respiratory tract and in parallel reduced duration of elevated blood levels for the inflammatory markers IL-6 and CRP. These findings suggest that IFN-α2b should be further investigated as a therapy in COVID-19 cases.

Published in Frontiers in Immunology

ISSN: 1664-3224 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Immunologic diseases. Allergy
Website: http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/immunology

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