Dr. Vasileiou on the Potential Role of ALVR109 for the Treatment of COVID-19

Spyridoula Vasileiou, PhD, postdoctoral associate, Baylor College of Medicine, discusses the potential role of ALVR109​, a SARS-CoV-2 virus–specific T-cell therapy, for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

A preclinical analysis evaluated the endogenous T-cell responses of COVID-19 patients who recovered from the virus without hospitalization, as well as the immune activity against potential SARS-CoV-2 target antigens. The goal ​of the study was to identify SARS-CoV-2 target antigens that had immunodominant recognition by immunocompetent individuals, Vasileiou explains.

The results of the analysis, which were presented virtually during the 2020 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition, showed a mean 9.3±1-fold expansion of cells that were comprised almost exclusively of CD3+ T cells, with a mixture of cytotoxic and helper T cells. These cells had a phenotype consistent with effector function and memory potential, as evidenced by upregulation of the CD25, CD69, and CD28 activation markers​ ​and the expression of central and effector memory markers, with minimal PD-1 or TIM-3 expression.

Furthermore, the immune activity was confirmed with the IFNg ELIspot assay. This demonstrated that the immune response was mediated by CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets. Moreover, the majority of interferon gamma–producing cells produced TNF-alpha characteristics, which were associated with superior clinical outcomes in vivo. These findings suggest that ALVR109 could be a ​potentially safe and effective treatment for patients with COVID-19, Vasileiou concludes.