Korean scientist researching the use of stem cells to beat coronavirus

SEOUL: Stem cell can be part of mainstream medicine in beating coronavirus and other viruses, according to South Korea’s most prominent stem cell researcher Dr Jeong-Chan Ra.

In a virtual roundtable with members of the Asia Journalists Association (AJA), Ra, who is also chief executive officer of Naturecell, said Asian people have been able to protect themselves from Covid-19 much better than other nations by complying with the precautionary measures of wearing face masks, regularly washing their hands, and keeping distances.

“We in Asia are better prepared to protect ourselves from Covid19. Stem cells in our bodies have the function of anti-virus.” he was quoted as saying by THEAsiaN.

The article also said Dr Ra and his team have been working on a clinical trial to treat the severe Covid-19 cases relying on mechanical ventilators with stem cell therapy.

According to the article, in March, he and his team requested permission from South Korea’s Food and Drug Safety Ministry for clinical trials phase 1/2A to treat the serious Covid-19 cases by administering ‘Astrostem-V,’ an autologous stem cell drug, intravenously.

The clinical trials are targeting aggravated Covid-19 patients with ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome).

The patients will be administered Astrostem-V, an autologous adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell drug, two times in total with a one-week interval.

Each infusion will include 200 million cells. Safety and efficacy will be assessed four weeks and eight weeks after the injections, it added.