Placentas bring hope to severe COVID patients

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. is a leading regenerative medicine company developing novel placenta-based cell therapy product candidates. In other words, they produce treatments from placentas and say that one placenta can treat up to 20,000 patients.

They are conducting a Phase II US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study of PLX cells for the treatment of severe COVID-19 complicated by Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Announcing the start of enrolment in the study, the company has begun activation of clinical sites and the trial is expected to include up to 25 sites.

“Pluristem is closely following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic globally as well as the ‘hot spots’ in the US,” said Pluristem CEO and President, Yaky Yanay. “We are targeting locations that show the highest rate of new cases and incorporating the ready-to-use advantages of our PLX-PAD product candidate.

“Pluristem’s confirmed operational and unique cold chain logistical capabilities enable us to treat patients within hours of notice. We also believe this will enable us to deliver COVID-19 treatments in a timely manner and in the right place, while assisting the healthcare systems in the fight against COVID-19, its complications, and its burden on the medical infrastructure.”