- Researchers identified high levels of cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a potential biomarker for Long COVID. The small study, published in Science Advances, found that symptoms improved when production of IFN-γ (a molecule that plays an important role in immune response) decreased. The researchers followed the people with Long COVID for 31 months, and tested their blood with a highly sensitive procedure. “It’s unlikely that all the different Long COVID symptoms are caused by the same thing,” one of the authors said in a press release, stating the need for treatments for different presentations of the disease.
- Two new studies compare SARS-CoV-2’s long-term risks to those of the flu. A recent study in Frontiers in Immunology found that both COVID-19 and flu can impact lungs post-infection, but that only COVID-19 caused a significant impact on the brain. The study used a mouse model to compare the long-term effects of flu and COVID-19, finding that COVID-19 led to brain inflammation, sensory processing issues, and other types of brain injury. Still, the study did not mention myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or dysautonomia, which can both impact the brain and be triggered by influenza. A separate study in Communications Medicine also found that there is a higher risk of kidney disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after influenza.
- A small phase 1 clinical trial will test the safety of the cancer monoclonal antibody Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the trial will enroll 15 participants with neurological symptoms of Long COVID in Bethesda, Maryland. Ketytruda is an infusion drug that is used to treat various cancers, including advanced melanoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. The trial adds to other cancer drugs like Anktiva and rapamycin being tested for Long COVID. The study is not yet recruiting. Study contact: Ladifatou N. Fouanta, ladifatou.fouanta@nih.gov.
