Dr Kong Yuefeng,a recovered COVID-19 patient,donates plasma in the blood centre in Wuhan.Credit:AP
CSL and its Japanese competitor Takeda led the formation of a group called theCoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, which also included global firms such as Octopharm and BioPharm Plasma. The companies collected raw materials and tested the treatment on patients to work out if it could help those with serious COVID-related illness.
However,over the Easter long weekend Takeda released an update confirming that the phase 3 trial of the treatment “did not meet its endpoints to show efficacy in adults hospitalised with COVID-19”.
The results from the trial suggested the use of the product in combination with antiviral drug remdesivir was no more effective than just using remdesivir by itself.
Full analysis of the research is yet to be completed,but the companies said the disappointing results mean the one-year collaborative agreement between the biotech firms will now be axed.
Challenging week
The results come in a challenging week in the fight against the virus,with Australia’s technical advisory committee on vaccines set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the risks and benefits of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccineafter a case of blood clotting was reported in a vaccinated man in Melbourne.
CSL confirmed the trial results also mean it will discontinue local research for a home-grown plasma-based treatment that it was conducting alongside the global studies. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood had partnered with CSL to collect plasma from Australians who had recovered from the virus to trial a locally made product,but its progress was dependent on positive data from the global phase 3 study.