COVID-19 Update | 15 June 2022
Researchers from the Centenary Institute and the University of Technology Sydney have published the first study showing why people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.
The research makes mention that COPD (an inflammatory lung condition that causes airway blockage and makes breathing difficult) affects about 400 million people globally. This has led researchers to develop new drug treatments targeting relevant enzymes and pro-inflammatory responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection. According to Study Senior Author and Professor, Director of the Centenary UTS Centre for Inflammation, Phil Hansbro, this new drug could have excellent therapeutic potential in reducing the severity of COVID-19 in patients with COPD.