EXO-CD24 stands for exosomes, which are tiny carrier materials necessary for intercellular functions, and delivers a protein named CD24 to the lungs.
The experimental inhaled medication has been making the rounds lately because of the promises it shows as a Phase I trial showed that it cured most COVID patients in just 3-5 days.
How EXO-CD24 Works
The breakthrough medication developed at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center cured a number of 30 COVID-19 cases ranging from moderate to severe during a Phase I clinical trial.
The medication that was developed for six months at the hospital is delivered directly into the lungs — the area where it fights the ‘cytokine storm’ — an overreaction of the immune system to the COVID-19 virus wherein it attacks healthy cells — which can eventually result in death.
“The new compound is inhaled once a day for a few minutes, for five days,” said Professor Nadir Arber, the lead researcher.
A researcher in Arber’s team, Dr. Shirap Shapira, added that the drug is based on exosomes and is enriched with CD24 protein, which is a protein that has an important role in regulating the immune system.
The Difference of EXO-CD24 from Vaccines
EXO-CD24 is not an anti-viral that goes after the virus in order to eliminate it.
It also has a few notable differences from vaccines. First, unlike vaccines, EXO-CD24 works on infected people. Secondly, vaccine supplies are limited and the rollouts for each country is different. And lastly, new COVID mutations might reduce a vaccine’s efficacy.
Pharma companies still face problems in coping with vaccine rollouts, new COVID strains, and with numerous legal proceedings against them. The Paragard lawsuits, for instance, are still seeing a growing number of plaintiffs today. How will they adapt to the discovery of a potential breakthrough cure for COVID that shows more promise?
