News 7 May 2020

Cantabria Labs collaborates in the Covid-19 research project of Alcalá University

  • The study led by the University Professor Melchor Álvarez de Mon, seeks to identify precisely which medicines and what treatments will be most effective in each Covid-19 patient from the onset of infection.
  • In order to carry out these individualized therapies, which are necessary due to the different reactions of the immune system of each patient to the coronavirus infection, the multidisciplinary team of the UAH will analyse the effective immunological memory and potential residual damage of the virus in a sample of over 300 infected patients.

The search for medicines and effective treatments via antivirals, immunomodulatory drugs and vaccines that are still to come, is one of the main and most urgent lines of action to reduce the devastating social and economic impact of Covid-19. However, the effective treatment for each case and fast identification of the most severe cases are major hurdles in achieving this objective, as the immune systems of patients react very differently with coronavirus. 

Therefore, Cantabria Labs has decided to lend its technical and financial support to the Covid-19 research project of Alcalá University, the objective of which is to find out exactly which medicines and what treatments are needed for Covid-19 patients at each stage of the disease and to characterize the patients in order to individualize their therapy.

This project, which shall have the financial backing of Cantabria Labs, shall be carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by the University Professor Melchor Álvarez de Mon. These specialists will analyse the intensity and alterations of the main cellular components of the immune system through a sample of over 300 infected patients, to identify the effective immunological memory and potential residual damage in the patients after overcoming the acute phase of the infection.

The results of the study will help to characterise and typify the patients in order to individualize therapy in the early stages, as the definition of biomarkers will allow for the planning of the best individualized treatment for each future patient from the start of infection, including the use of immunomodulators, the early administration of which is fundamental to prevent the uncontrolled release of cytokines, responsible for the harmful hyper-inflammation of the organs that occurs in the most severe cases.

In this way, Cantabria Labs reinforces its commitment in the fight against Covid-19 not only with the total dedication of its most valuable technical and human resources – whose daily efforts have already achieved spectacular results, such as the supply and donation of more than  600,000 units of hydroalcoholic gels for the hands, facial cleansers and hydrating lotions to hospital workers, healthcare centres, retirement homes, security forces and high risk groups-, but also by giving its financial support in research projects to discover the etiopathogeny, personalisation and treatment of Covid-19, such as this Alcalá University research project.