Did you watch the IUIS Webinar : “What cancer immunologists are doing about COVID-19?” by Rachel Humphrey, a medical oncologist, who is currently serving as Head of Research and Development for TIO Bioventures.
Source: Slides from IUIS Webinar by Rachel Humphery
Highlights from her talk include:
- Intersection in advances in cancer and infectious diseases immunology, could guide development of therapies against COVID-19
- Recently published review by Vardhana & Wolchok that “explores the contributions of the innate and adaptive immune systems to both viral control as well as toxicity during COVID-19 infections and offer suggestions to both understand and therapeutically modulate anti-COVID immunity”.
- Data that described successful of anti-PD-1 treatment (Pembrolizumab) against cancers including those in lung tissue, which could be used to treat COVID-19 symptoms. It should be noted that this treatment against cancer is not 100% successful, and more research is required to improve the success rate.
- One of the side effects associated with CAR-T cell therapy include cytokine release syndrome, which can be treated using IL-6 inhibitor (Tocilizumab). This symptomatic treatment of CRS was used treat COVID-19 in China, and is now approved for COVID-19 pneumonia in China. She did note differences in outcomes from anti-IL-6 treatment*