Research to reduce inflammation of COVID-19 lungs with anti-cancer drugs.

July 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute are testing whether an anticancer drug can reduce lung inflammation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, which may prevent intubation and reduce mortalityThe drug, called duvelisib, was approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat recurrent or refractive chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocyte lymphomaThe researchers initiated the Phase II study, which was supported by Duvelisib manufacturer Verastem OncologyThe lead researcher in the study, called THE STUDENTS OF THE STUDY, SAID THE STUDY, "DUVELisib Antagonizes of Pneumonia- And Sonnial Novelvirus Infection," is Winship hematologist DrEdmund Waller, professor of hematology, medical oncology, medicine and pathologyImage source: "The reason for using duvelisib is that the drug may be able to relieve systemic inflammation that increases COVID-19-related pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome"Data from patients with leukemia and lymphoma treated with duvelisib suggest that the drug can reduce levels of certain immune messenger cytokines that rise during COVID-19 infectionDuvelisib inhibits gamma/delta PI 3 kinases, regulating immune cell metabolism and signaling enzymesAt the same time, preclinical studies have shown that duvelisib can relieve T-cell failureAnother study showed that the failure of T-cells limits the immune system's effectiveness in fighting viral infectionsBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, Waller's lab had been testing whether the drug could be used to enhance the activity of CAR-T cells in cancer immunotherapyThe study is a cancer research immunology study that can be used for possible use and deployed for COVID-19 treatments, potentially improving patient outcomes in this crisis() References: Repurposing a cancer drug to reduce COVID-19 lung sin.