Clinical trials of Mycobacterium w vaccine as an adjunct to COVID-19 treatment will begin soon: PGMER Chandigarh

Researchers at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh announced on Sunday said that the use of the Mycobacterium w (Mw) vaccine as an adjunct to the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-affected patients will be jointly studied upon, in collaboration with AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Bhopal. The institute added that the Mw vaccine (heat-killed Mycobacterium indicus pranii) is not a vaccine specifically dedicated to the coronavirus but that it will be used only as an adjunct.

The Mw vaccine, normally used to treat leprosy patients, was originally developed as an immunomodulator for leprosy. It acts through the toll-like receptor pathway and enhances host-T cell responses.

"In a recently concluded multi-center trial, we found that Mw reduces mortality in ICU patients with severe sepsis. Mw can potentially decrease the cytokine storm seen in patients with COVID-19, and may thus be of potential benefit in managing these patients and decreasing mortality. In the pre-study phase, we assessed the safety of Mw in four hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and found no short-term adverse effects. The impact of Mw use on long term safety and efficacy will only be known after the conclusion of this CSIR-supported clinical trial, which will be initiated soon at all three centers. It is very early to say about the outcome of results and its use," a PGI spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India neared the 27,000-mark on Sunday night, while the death toll had topped the 800-mark earlier in the day.

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread like wildfire in India, the central and state governments are respectively amping up all of their efforts to check potential contamination. A nationwide lockdown is in place, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, who had declared an extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 to battle the novel coronavirus. Monday marks Day 13 of the extended COVID-19 Lockdown 2.0.