A team of researchers at The Dow University has isolated intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) with plasma obtained from recovered patients of Coronavirus through which Covid-19 victims can be treated. This is the first global report of isolation, formulation and safe demonstration of immunoglobulin purified from recovered Covid-19 patients.
Lead researcher Dr Shaukat Ali is Principal of Dow College of Biotechnology and other team members included Dr Shobha Luxmi, Syed Muneeb uddin, Mir Rashid Ali, Ayesha Ali, Mujtaba Khan, Fatima Anjum, Dr Sohaib Tauheed.
The team was able to collect first blood sample in March 2020 and managed to isolate antibodies chemically, purified it and later concentrated these antibodies using the ultra-filtration technique
The method is a type of passive immunization but uses purified antibodies rather than the whole plasma. This can be a major breakthrough in fight against COVID-19.
Thia treatment through hyper immunoglobulin (H-IVIG) is approved by the US Federal agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for normal conditions in contrast to plasma therapy which allowed only in extreme cases
