W&I "Subsidiaries File Patent for Cell Therapy for Pulmonary Fibrosis Occurring Alongside COVID-19"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] WI announced on the 24th that its affiliate Abatherapeutics has filed a patent for a cell therapy for pulmonary fibrosis occurring alongside viral infections such as the novel coronavirus infection (hereinafter COVID-19).

Abatherapeutics is a bio-specialized company developing gene therapies using virus vectors based on Adeno-associated Virus (AAV). Recognizing the urgency of developing treatments for COVID-19, which is currently spreading worldwide, the company is conducting research to develop therapies by exploring the relationship between COVID-19 and pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease caused by damage or scarring of lung tissue due to various factors such as viruses like COVID-19, genetics, and environmental factors.

Currently, there is no effective treatment for pulmonary fibrosis, and patients can only slow the progression of the disease through lung transplantation surgery or by using oxygen respirators or ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation).

Abatherapeutics is developing a pulmonary fibrosis treatment that enables the expression of COVID-19 inhibitors, anti-inflammatory factors, and anti-fibrotic factors in host cells such as stem cells and umbilical cord blood by utilizing gene delivery vectors such as recombinant Adeno-associated Virus (rAAV) and lentivirus.

An Abatherapeutics official stated, “Screening of rAAV serotypes, gene selection, and gene packaging of viral vectors for the development of pulmonary fibrosis treatments have been completed, and we plan to verify efficacy through mouse animal experiments within this year. The pulmonary fibrosis treatment using rAAV will primarily undergo clinical trials overseas.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.