After spending the past six months trying desperately to keep the deadly virus from invading their facilities, Dr. Mark Gloth says he believes he is finally getting a chance to strike back.
Antibody testing can determine if a person’s blood shows signs of COVID-19 exposure.Kris Tripplaar/Sipa USA/AP Photo
"We know from preclinical experimentation that the antibody has the potential to block transmission of the disease," said Dr. Dan Skovronsky, the chief scientific officer of Eli Lilly."In other words, if we give it to an individual, we're testing to see whether they're now protected from getting infected with the virus.”
In order to see if they help protect the nation’s most vulnerable patients, Eli Lilly and ProMedica have teamed up. Whenever one of the company’s skilled nursing or assisted living facilities reports its first new positive test for COVID-19, the research team plans to deploy a mobile lab and medical team to that location to sign up nursing home residents and staff for the study.
A blood sample is tested at a coronavirus antibody rapid serological testing site on on July 26, 2020 in San Dimas, California.The infusions themselves take about an hour, with research teams conducting follow up checks on the recipients over the ensuing days and weeks. Some recipients receive the antibodies, while others are given a placebo – typically just saline.
“Think about it,” Gloth said. “You’ve got a loved one in a skilled nursing facility. You’ve just found out there’s been an exposure at the facility. And that there’s a potential opportunity to be part of a study that may help. But you can’t come in and sit by their side and hold their hand and talk to them about it. That’s been a difficult thing.”
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