The discovery of a protein showed signs of being a possible therapeutic target for monoclonal antibody treatment in sepsis cases as well as other infectious diseases, including COVID-19, according to research led by Haichao Wang, PhD, a professor and director of the laboratory of emergency medicine at Northwell Health's Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y.
"Sepsis is a complex and fatal complication. Despite decades of research, there remains a lack of treatment," Dr. Wang said in a Feb. 3 press statement. "The hope is that by identifying this new protein mediator to curb uncontrolled inflammation, new drugs may be developed to prevent unnecessary death in septic patients."
Researchers looked at the ways monoclonal antibodies can work to combat a pro-inflammatory protein mediator and created a new panel of antibodies with the protein that neutralized and lowered the inflammatory response — and in their experiments, this saved mice from sepsis.
"Lacking effective therapies for sepsis other than adjunctive use of antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, and supportive care, it is still urgent to search for other late-acting pathogenic mediators that offer wider therapeutic opportunities," researchers wrote.