Japan team develops COVID treatment using synthetic immune cells

KYOTO (Kyodo) — A research team in Japan has developed immune cells using embryonic stem cells of human origin to treat novel coronavirus infections.

The research team, including members from Kyoto University and Fujita Health University, plans to conduct a clinical trial in three years on patients who became immunocompromised due to chemotherapy and are suffering severe symptoms of COVID-19, it said in late July.

The team artificially created cytotoxic T cells, known as “killer T cells,” that attack cells infected with a virus. The cells, developed in a way to reduce the risk of rejection by patients, have genes with “sensor” functions to detect the proteins unique to the novel coronavirus.

When the developed cells were cultured with cells infected with the novel coronavirus, around 90 percent of the latter were dead after 12 hours, according to the team also including members from Osaka University and the National Center for Child Health and Development.

The team has filed a patent application, it said.

Before the clinical trial, the team plans to conduct tests with mice to determine the safety of the treatment, which has the potential to be utilized for other viral infections through genetic alteration, according to the team.

Hiroshi Kawamoto, a Kyoto University professor who is part of the research team, said the new treatment is likely to be effective in patients who are immunocompromised as the developed cells directly attack infected cells.

In the clinical trial, the developed cells will be administered intravenously, Kawamoto said, adding that he believes the risk of the severe side effects seen in immune-based therapies is low.