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Treatments

Jean-Paul Deslypere, MD

Aesculape CRO Belgium BV
" Treatment of COVID 19 complications with antibodies "
Funding: partly public partly private
Contact : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0492 735931

Jennifer Denis, PhD in psychology research and teaching associate

UMONS
" The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. Authorities and population are facing a global health crisis which pose a challenge to adapt quickly and effectively. The aim of this preliminary study was to survey the general public in Belgium to better understand their levels of psychological impact, anxiety and stress during the initial stage of containment. The data also explored tips and tricks immediately adopt by the population to manage containment. From 20 March to 28 March 2020, we conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques on social network. The online survey collected information on demographic data, stress level in the past 7 days, knowledge and concerns about COVID-19 and the impact of using technologies for taking information and stay connected to others, precautionary measures (tips and tricks) during the beginning of containment, and additional information required with respect to...

Jurga Marcin, PhD

EXO Biologics
" EXO Biologics plans to extend its research and development program towards the COVID-19 crisis by using its unique and disruptive technology based on Extracellular Vesicles. These nanometer size particles are gaining momentum in the scientific community as potential alternatives to stem cell and biologic drugs therapies in the fields of immunology, neurology, oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology among others. EXO Biologics has 12 years of experience in cell-based regenerative medicine and 8 years of experience in Extracellular Vesicles. Our advancements in research will play an important role for our company mission to provide affordable and accessible therapies to patients with unmet medical needs. "
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Karim Amighi, Professor

ULB
" Inhaled ivermectin against COVID-19 study. Development of solution for nebulisation - preclinical safety and efficacy in animal models and clinical evaluation. CORONAVIRUS 2020 (CUR) research project submitted to FNRS on May 1, 2020. "
Funding: FNRS (requested)
Contact: Professor Karim Amighi Laboratory of Pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Faculty of Pharmacy Campus Plaine, CP-207 Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels - Belgium This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Maya Hites, Associate Professor

CUB-Erasme
" "a. Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a new coronavirus SARS CoV-2, responsible for the current pandemic, causing a lot of morbidity and mortality. Most people with COVID-19 develop mild respiratory illness (stage I). However, in a sub-group of patients (+/- 15%) there are increasing respiratory symptoms and persistent fever (stage II). Patients may develop acute lung injury (hypoxia, and bilateral opacities on chest computed tomography (CT-scan)), requiring hospitalisation. A further 5% of patients develop stage III disease, requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, and multi-organ failure. As patients progress from stage I to stage III, there are increasing signs of systemic hyper-inflammatory response, reflected by high levels of cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, and lymphopenia. Different viral, bacterial, and...

Michel FREDERICH, Professor - Allison LEDOUX, Doctor - Mutien GARIGLIANY, Professor

ULiège, CIRM, FARAH
" Several natural products (i.e. lycorine, glycyrrhizine, extracts of Pelargonium, Echinacea, Sambucus,...) have shown activity against coronaviruses. Several plants have been used in Chinese Medicine to treat patients with COVID-19. The objective of this project is to evaluate several natural products against SARS-COV2 in vitro and confirm their potential for further development. "
Funding: Own funding.
Contact: Prof Michel FREDERICH https://www.cirm.uliege.be This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mutien Garigliany, Professor - Daniel Desmecht, Professor

ULiège 
" There is a critical need for therapeutic solutions against SARS-CoV-2. Before implementing innovative treatments in human medicine, a first screening of the antiviral or immunomodulatory activity should be performed by in vitro and in vivo methods. To this aim, we developed in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (hamsters and mice) models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We developed an in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (hamsters and mice) to screen antiviral or immunomodulatory molecules, in partnership with colleagues from the ULiège hospital and the GIGA research center. We also validate the inactivation protocols to facilitate the diagnostic workflow, in partnership with the Federal task force. "
Funding: Currently no funding. We applied to the "Crédits urgents de recherche" call.
Contact: Mutien Garigliany, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVP Professor Department of Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Centre for Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH) Liège...

Mutien Garigliany, Professor - Daniel Desmecht, Professor

FARAH - ULiège 
" As of today, one of the most promising therapeutic solutions against COVID-19 is the use of convalescent plasma. A subset of the antibodies present in this plasma are able to bind the surface proteins of the virus, chiefly the Spike (attachment) protein, and to neutralize the ability of viral particles to infect permissive cells. Upon request of the Red Cross and ULiège CHU hospital, we developed seroneutralization assays to determine the titers in neutralizing antibodies of convalescent plasma. In collaboration with KU Leuven (Rega) and ITM Antwerp, we just completed an interlaboratory ring test. We screen convalescent plasmas on a routine basis for the Croix Rouge and Rode Kruis. Only plasmas with a titer in neutralizing antibodies above the cut-off value will be used therapeutically. The scarcity of the scientific literature on the subject (only a few studies on the therapeutic use of convalescent plasmas are currently available) make it difficult to fix a cut-off...

Pierre CLOSE, FNRS Research Associate - Francesca RAPINO, Doctor

GIGA-Institute, ULiège - FNRS
" In this project, we study the epitranscriptomic regulation of the SARS-CoV-2. Based on analyses of the viral genome, we investigate the cellular machineries required for the viral replicative cycle. Our goal is to identify possible viral vulnerabilities that can be exploited for the development of innovative anti-viral therapeutic strategies. We investigate possible new therapeutic opportunities based on the analyses of the viral genomic organization and evolution. We speculate that specific cellular machineries are needed to support the viral replicative cycle. Our goal is uncover new antiviral therapeutic strategies based on the viral epitranscriptomic regulation, mRNA translation and protein expression. "
Funding: WELBIO & ULIEGE
Publication References: Rapino F, Delaunay S, Rambow F, Zhou Z, Tharun L, De Tullio P, Sin O, Shostak, Schmitz S, Piepers J, Ghesquière B, Karim L, Charloteaux B, Jamart D, Florin A, Lambert C, Rorive A, Jerusalem G...

Serge Goldman, Scientific Director

CMMI
" The Center of Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI) is currently involved in establishing an accurate SARS-CoV-2 virus distribution topography in the organs and various cells of patients who died in COVID-19 units by providing immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy services (study director Pr. Isabelle Salmon). We have also developed and are currently offering preclinical multimodal quantitative imaging - of lung inflammation - of bacterial population (pathogen or no pathogen) - and of viral infection by isotopic imaging. All these models enable the understanding of pulmonary pathological features caused by SARS-viruses such as CoVID-19. From molecular to humanized animal models, the CMMI provides customized imaging solutions to research projects on Coronavirus The CMMI is also a proud partner of the ULB diagnostic platform set-up in Gosselies to face the epidemic of SARS-CoV2. "
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Comment: The CMMI was co-founded by ULB et UMons and is supported...

Stéphane CARLIER, Prof - Jean-Marie COLET, Prof - Fabrice JOURNE, Dr - Sven SAUSSEZ, Prof- Vincent RICHARD, Dr - Camélia ROSSI, Dr

UMONS and Ambroise-Paré Hospital Mons
" Predictive plasma signature of the clinical behavior of COVID-19 patients. The clinical presentation of COVID-19 infection varies from mild to asymptomatic to pneumonia, which can be complicated by severe respiratory failure and/or cardiovascular, renal, hepatic and cutaneous involvement. The understanding of such a polymorphism is very incomplete and the prognosis is difficult. Several tracks involving inflammatory reactions are currently favored to better explain this disease. In particular, the significant increase in plasma cytokines IL2, IL7, IL10, GSCF, IP10, MCP1, MIP1A and TNFα, known as "cytokine storm", seems to be significantly associated with the ARDS and multi-organ onsets. In this context, IL6 seems to play an important role and targeted treatments against this cytokine seem promising. Also, the infection of endothelial cells by the coronavirus causing endothelium inflammation have been suggested as one of the fundamental...

Virginie Montiel, Professor

UCLouvain
" To confirm endothelial dysfunction in severe covid-19 patients admitted in Intensive Care Unit "
Funding: actually private; but waiting answer for credit urgent de recherche by FNRS
Publication References: 1) Manoury B, Montiel V, Balligand JL (2012). Nitric oxide synthase in post-ischaemic remodelling: New pathways and mechanisms. Cardiovascular Research, 94(2), 304-315. 2) Montiel V, Leon Gomez E, Bouzin C, Esfahani H, Romero Perez M, Lobysheva I, Balligand JL (2014). Genetic deletion of aquaporin-1 results in microcardia and low blood pressure in mouse with intact nitric oxide-dependent relaxation, but enhanced prostanoids-dependent relaxation. Pflugers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 466(2), 237-251. 3) Montiel V, Robinson E, Bella R, Michel L, Esfahani H, De Mulder D, Deglasse JP, Jonas JC, Steinhorn B, Michel T, Beauloye C, Bertrand L, Farah C, Dei Zotti F, Bouzin C, Brusa D, Bergmann O, Gilis D, Rooman M, Roderick L, Devuyst O, Balligand JL. Cardiac...

Yves Beguin, Professor

Uliège & CHU of Liège - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" This is a phase 1-2 clinical trial entitled "Mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for severe COVID-19 infection" exploring the safety and preliminary efficacy of treatment with mesenchymal stromal cells in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. "
Funding: CHU of Liège
Contact: Céline Grégoire, Dpt of Hematology M Moutschen, Dpt of Microbiology B Misset, Dpt of Intensive Care C Lechanteur, Lab of Cell Therapy CHU of Liège

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Brussels & Wallonia against COVID19