The study, which was published Sept. 4 and examined damaged human lungs and advanced lab models, found drugs such as baricitinib and anakinra may halt post-infection lung fibrosis, a condition with “no good treatments,” according to a Sept. 5 news release from UVA Health.
The researchers found that faulty immune responses involving CD8+ T cells and macrophages were driving ongoing inflammation and lung scarring even after COVID-19 recovery.
“Our collaboration with doctors and computer biologists at UVA and Cedars-Sinai … led us to uncover the root cause of persistent lung inflammation and scarring after severe acute COVID-19 and possibly other respiratory infections like the flu,” researcher Jie Sun, PhD, a professor at the University of Virginia, said in the release.
These new findings offer hope for patients not only with long COVID, but could benefit those with lung fibrosis caused by other conditions or infections, the researchers said.
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
