During the SARS and Ebola viral outbreaks, minimal effective medication existed, and an encouraging medical treatment technique called Convalescent Plasma was deployed showing clinical promise. The treatment derived from a patient’s blood who had the disease and recovered. This approach may also apply to patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The first step of the Convalescent Plasma process is to identify potential donors via antibody testing. A recovered patient’s plasma is then used to treat current COVID-19 patients, giving plasma recipients a better chance of fighting off the virus. This novel method is now also being used in a newly formed alliance which Streamline Verify is proud to sponsor.
This partnership secures benefits for both the advancement of science and communities hard hit by the COVID19 pandemic and has officially launched the Antibody Everybody initiative. The data captured also will provide critical insights to help fight Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) globally. Dr. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic’s is Principal Investigator of the national IH Expanded Access Program (EAP) for Convalescent Plasma, a program in which more than 10,000 COVID-19 patients have received plasma transfusions. Streamline Verify, together with and Bikur Cholim, are working toward the identification of eligible donors through COVID-19 antibody testing of numerous communities. This coalition of organizations organized hundreds of plasma donations at blood banks and outdoor testing sites from the NY-NJ Metro area to Delaware.
In the past months, Mayo Clinic Laboratories facilitated the EAP Program, working together with Bikur Cholim partners. Complex, awe-inspiring logistics were involved in this rapid acquisition and processing of a batch of 5,000 specimens arriving in Minnesota. Specifically, patient registration, mobile phlebotomy, centrifuge, and shipment of specimen were involved. Mayo Clinic Laboratories reports that “within only nine days, the client account was set up, multiple blood drives were completed, samples were processed, and results were reported to patients”. Compliance with established protocols is a top priority for all partners and ensures orders are collected and entered properly into the system, reconciled, and accurately reported.
At this point, a fraction of those with COVID-19 antibodies have recovered sufficiently to be able to donate, however many more individuals are becoming eligible every day. As of late May, Mayo Clinic Laboratories report the processing of ten thousand additional samples from partners is currently underway. This partnership will potentially identify hundreds more potential plasma donors and advance the science of this field with rigorous, peer-review quality data.
In addition to other solutions (such as antivirals, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and immune modulators), convalescent plasma and related hyperimmune globulins make up one of the top coronavirus treatments in development in the world. To combat the pandemic globally, it will take multiple scientifically proven fixes. Streamline Verify is honored to partner with experts in finding proven COVID19 solutions.