Monash Health Foundation COVID-19 Research Fund Grant for COVID-19 pneumonia treatment research
Congratulations to Dr Atul Malhotra, on receiving a Monash Health Foundation COVID-19 Research Fund Grant for his research on treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia.
COVID-19 can lead to respiratory and multi-organ dysfunction in up to 20% of the patients. Dr Malhotra along with his research team including Professor Yahya Shehabi, Dr Ben Rogers, Associate Professor Rebecca Lim, Professor Euan Wallace and Professor Graham Jenkin, plans to conduct a world-first trial of two types of gestational cell therapies at Monash Health. This pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial will be conducted in hospitalised adults with COVID-19.
Consented patients will be randomised to receive a cell therapy (human amnion epithelial cells or umbilical cord blood derived cells) or placebo intravenously. The aim of this study is to evaluate safety, feasibility and preliminary evidence of efficacy of cell therapies used for COVID-19. This funding will assist this innovative cell therapy approach to achieve pilot outcomes, and progress to a multi centre efficacy trial.
Dr Malhotra, a clinician scientist at Monash Health and Monash University said, "We hypothesise that use of cell therapies in patients with COVID-19 induced respiratory dysfunction will be safe, feasible and lead to
- reduced inflammation severity and associated cytokine storm
- reduced overall need for ventilatory support
- accelerated recovery of lung function and improve long-term outcomes.
Monash Health is a leader in translation of cell therapies, and this grant gives us a stepping stone to further consolidate that position. This particular grant will help us obtain pilot data on the use of two types of cell therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia".