Is meplazumab a potential therapy for COVID-19 patients?
Meplazumab is a CD147-specific humanized monoclonal antibody that has
been shown to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection of fibroblasts (VeroE6
cells).59 Currently, there is insufficient evidence to
draw any conclusions on the benefits of meplazumab for the therapy of
COVID-19 patients. In an observational Chinese study, adults
hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia (n=17) who were treated with an
intravenous infusion of meplazumab as an add-on therapy showed a higher
recovery rate compared to controls (n=11).184 However,
these results should be interpreted with caution because they were
generated in a non-randomized, non-stratified study, with a small sample
size. Large-scale stuides are needed to assess the effectiveness and
safety profile of meplazumab as a potential therapy for COVID-19.