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Indonesia to carry out large-scale trials of blood plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients
The blood plasma would be donated to severely ill COVID-19 patients.
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A person who has recovered from COVID-19 donates blood plasma in Zouping, in China's eastern Shandong province, on Feb. 28. (AFP/STR )
I
ndonesia is gearing up for a large-scale trial on convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19 patients amid a global rally to find a cure for the fast-spreading novel coronavirus, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.
The blood plasma, extracted from recovered patients, would be donated to severely ill COVID-19 patients to give their immune systems a boost. Researchers have claimed the method effective in treating COVID-19 patients since the convalescent plasma from the novel coronavirus survivors produced antibodies that could combat the virus.
“I have seen significant progress in blood plasma treatment trials. The treatment would be clinically tested within a large scale in several hospitals,” President Jokowi said in a virtual limited meeting on Monday.
President also added that trials on stem cells to endogenously treat COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia would also be done alongside the blood plasma trials.
He also lauded the advancement in genome sequencing by Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology’s laboratory as part of the initial stage for vaccine development.
“I urge all sectors to fully support these research and innovation programs. Licensing should be done faster and integrated,” he said.
A team of researchers from Eijkman Institute and Pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma, alongside a number of international partners, has been working to develop convalescent plasma that contains antibodies at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.
Doctors have been using convalescent plasma transfusions to help patients fight diseases since the 1918 Spanish Flu and recently the procedures also worked on patients with SARS, Ebola, and H1N1.
The Jakarta administration also plans to provide hospitals with supplies of the plasma in the capital city, with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in charge of distribution.
Researchers have urged COVID-19 survivors who are symptom free for 28 days to donate their blood plasma to help the those who are severely ill. (trn)
