PolyBio and WE&ME supported study identifies two distinct ME/CFS subtypes 🧪Collaborative research uncovers immune and biomarker patterns that could help subclassify ME/CFS and guide future treatments. polybio.org/polybio-and-...

PolyBio’s Spring Symposium is approaching fast—on May 16, watch exciting project updates on clinical trials, tissue pipelines, immune & metabolism findings on infection-associated chronic illnesses. Sign up now: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Post-treatment Lyme Disease patients with chronic pain in the US—consider participating in this decentralized study (completely virtual). It’s run via the CoRE clinic under the direction of Drs. David Putrino and Amy Proal @putrinolab.bsky.social @coresinai.bsky.social

The PolyBio-supported study on elevated plasma proteins associated with breathlessness in Long COVID was featured in an article in Technology Networks : www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/long...

Calling all Long Covid, ME/CFS and Post-Treatment Lyme patients in the Boston area! This PolyBio-supported study is now seeking participants. Participants must be able to attend an in-person visit at Brigham & Women’s hospital in Boston to participate. Email [email protected] if interested

We’re truly excited that the PolyBio supported Low-dose Rapamycin trial is now recruiting in the NYC area. Interested in learning more? Here’s the full study summary: polybio.org/projects/lon...

BREAKING: Development of a spike protein-specific radiolabeled antibody used with PET imaging shows presence of spike in brain & lungs of macaque monkeys 3 months post-COVID; provides new viral reservoir detection opportunity for long COVID: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Dr. Rigel Chan is investigating SARS-CoV-2’s impact on the development of #Alzheimers. His work has found that S protein levels in cells aren’t associated with AD, “but exposure to antigens like Spike may alter the conditions such that [patients] become more susceptible to HSV1.”

Dr. Zian Tseng has been studying sudden cardiac deaths since 2011–and is now using those data to compare to SCDs post-COVID. “A post-2020 person who recovered from COVID… died suddenly from their acute myocardial infarction. We found SARS-CoV-2 Spike RNA in their brain [tissue].”

Dr. David Price is investigating the role of lung dysfunction in Long Covid: “We’re sampling bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and transbronchial biopsies… what we plan to do is metagenomics, metatranscriptomics & RNA seq… to get some idea of the pathogenesis of LC at the site of initial infection.”

Dr. Petter Brodin is leading a project investigating the genetic determinants of Long Covid. “We’re currently looking for genetic variants that could explain why [Long Covid patients] have what we think is impaired antiviral immunity, leading to viral persistence.”

Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, who has led work on the role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in chronic diseases i.e. lupus, is now investigating the role of HERVs in Long Covid.

“We’re trialing a low dose of Rapamycin once a week… which may have an immune-supporting effect,” Dr. Proal explained last week via the CoRE clinic. There are a couple studies that show this low dose could improve signalling of interferons… used to control viral infections.”

Dr. Amy Proal, Scientific Director of the CoRE Clinic at Mount Sinai, discusses viral persistence as a driver of ME/CFS with Dr.s Raven Baxter & David Putrino: “[research] finds the RNA backbone & protein of enteroviruses in ME/CFS gut tissue.” @coresinai.bsky.social

PolyBio president Dr. Amy Proal outlines the direction that research must take to address long COVID in her new op-ed for @latimes.com: “The urgency of long COVID is a call to arms for government and private funders to help bring medications and protocols to the people who need them.”

Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt is investigating the proportion of Long Covid, ME & EDS patients with Borrelia, Babesia and Bartonella in their blood using a highly accurate ddPCR assay. “We’ve seen every combination of infection, from only 1 organism to co-infection with all 3.”

Post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) is a debilitating disease state following SARS-CoV-2 infection. In @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social, authors outline major considerations for clinical trials targeting SARS-CoV-2 persistence in long COVID: tinyurl.com/bdfyn74m

1/ Cutting-edge Recommendations Provide Treatment Path for Millions of Long COVID Patients In a new report, global experts outline key considerations to address persistent SARS-CoV-2; provide a roadmap to test critical new long COVID therapies polybio.org/cutting-edge...

Children with Long Covid who received Larazotide for GI symptoms reported a fast & sustained recovery following treatment vs. controls.

Dr. Brent Harris & colleagues at NIH are forming a rapid autopsy program to assess SARS-CoV-2’s effects on body tissues, focusing on the brain. “NIH will focus on detection of RNA, proteins & replication-competent virus… using RNA scope [we’ve] found a wide persistence of SCV2.”

In a recent RCT of Larazotide for GI symptoms in Long Covid, “the clearance in the Larazotide group of the Spike clearance was much faster,” Dr. Fasano says. “About 30% of placebo group tested positive for spike, while eventually none of them had Spike in Larazotide group.”

PolyBio's Drs. Proal & VanElzakker today in front of a poster at the Harvard/MIT Martinos Center featuring sections from their 2021 paper on #LongCovid disease mechanisms.

Dr. Giannarelli is analyzing cardiac tissue of heart attack patients post-mortem to study SARS-CoV-2’s impact on cardiovascular disease. “NRP-1 is expressed more in foam cells in atherosclerosis… when we silence the expression of NRP-1 in macrophages & foam cells, cellular SCV2 infection decreased.”

“At least 2/3 of individuals with Long COVID contained [SARS-CoV-2] infected megakaryocytes,” says Dr. Morgane Bomsel. “This suggests that megakaryocytes form reservoirs in LC patients—which may produce platelets sheltering infectious SCV2.”

“We’re building a rigorous cohort of people with chronic conditions, starting off with ME,” said Dr. Steve Deeks, collaborator on the LIINC team. “We want to build on what’s already been done to identify pathways of interest—focusing first on pathogen persistence.”

Polybio is supporting several trials of potential #LongCovid treatments. Working with @putrinolab.bsky.social at the Sinai CoRE clinic, Polybio President Dr. Amy Proal is spearheading an investigation of repurposed HIV antivirals Truvada & Maraviroc for treatment of LC, targeting viral reservoirs.

How are SARS-CoV-2 antigens impacting NETosis? “We’re finding that certain antigens vs. others really impactful, like RBD and S1,” says Dr. Marcelo Freire. His lab is using the 45plex cytokine panel to determine how different cytokine profiles in LC impact NET formation.

Polybio is partnering with a team of researchers out of Harvard Medical School to assess the role of fibrin accumulation in the lungs, hearts & brains of #LongCovid patients. Pictured below, the team is analyzing PET imaging that uses a novel radiotracer [64Cu]-FBP8.

1/ In the cervical lymph nodes, “the germinal centre responses [for Long Covid patients] are severely hindered early on,” says Dr. Michela Locci. “They try to catch up later on, but they’re still very low in comparison to the peak of the response in healthy [controls].”

1/ BREAKING 👉A new study published in Nature Communications has unveiled a crucial connection between chronic #infection with Cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and the development of #Alzheimer’s disease in certain individuals: polybio.org/new-research...

A PolyBio-supported study in collaboration with the Long-Term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus (LIINC) team out of UCSF is the first to document low CD56+ NK cells in Long COVID patients, which may contribute to issues with clearing the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

1/ PolyBio's Dr. Michael Peluso presented evidence from the PolyBio-supported Long-Term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus (LIINC) study out of UCSF at 2024's Demystifying Long COVID International Conference. Here are the highlights.

PolyBio is hiring a Director of Development! Applicants should have experience in fundraising for non-profit organizations & be prepared to maximize PolyBio’s funding for cutting-edge research. Read more about the role here: www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/40...

1/ PolyBio’s Dr. Sara Cherry asserts: “Treating [the lung] with either nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid) or molnupiravir, we clear the [SARS-CoV-2] infection by 10,000-fold… while nirmatrelvir clears the infection in intestinal cultures, molnupiravir has no activity.”

1/ PolyBio’s Dr. Lael Yonker is leading the charge to investigate pediatric #longcovid: “kids with Long Covid have higher neutrophil extracellular trap formation… when we have Spike in the blood that’s bound to antibodies, you generate immune complexes & it activates NETs.”

(1/2) PolyBio’s research director Dr. Amy Proal talked about #viruses as drivers of aging processes on Dr. Mike Lustgarten’s “Conquer Aging” podcast: youtu.be/Y1nLjjMd7xQ?...

Dr. David Putrino of CoRE is seeking patients with a confirmed diagnosis of #longcovid for a 6-month trial of antivirals. You may be eligible if you: -Are 18 years or older -Have a confirmed diagnosis of Long COVID from a physician -Are HIV negative -Can commute to the CoRE office (1/3)

1/ Over the past 2 years PolyBio has raised and distributed more than $35M in funding. This is supporting dozens of long COVID, ME/CFS and Lyme+ projects and trials. But there is so much more to do.

Wondering how symptom-tracking apps like Visible impact people with energy-limiting conditions? Dr. Amy Proal co-authored this paper which found that data related to heart rate variability (HRV) could predict crashes in individuals w/ LongCovid & ME/CFS: doi.org/10.21203/rs....

PolyBio supports scientists studying #complexchronicillness around the globe on their #LongCOVID, #MECFS and #Lyme+ research. Check out their work! 👇🏻 go.bsky.app/GiFZDen

PolyBio’s Dr. Readhead is investigating Alzheimer’s patients with CD83+ microglia, and their higher presence of IgG4 in the transverse colon. “We found a really strong signal pointing to CMV… most people don’t have [CMV seropositivity] in their gut.”

As Scientific Director at CoRE, PolyBio President Dr. Amy Proal implements clinical trials for #IACC patients. Along with Dr. David Putrino, she’s investigating repurposed HIV-antivirals Truvada & Maraviroc, and the enzyme Lumbrokinase as potential Long COVID treatments.

We are honored to add Francis Brenner to our PolyBio Board of Directors. Francis is strongly motivated to innovate #research and care for patients with complex chronic #illness. He will help PolyBio continue to grow our operations and collaborative infrastructure.

How do #persistentpathogens affect brain function? @putrinolab.bsky.social , Nash Family CoRE director & PolyBio scientist, explains: “MCAS or chemokines from systemic infections affect everything... Inflammation causes mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to energy crisis [in the brain].”

@putrinolab.bsky.social & CoRE are seeking participants in the NYC area for this PolyBio-supported lumbrokinase trial 👇🏻 They are accepting patients with the following diagnoses: Long COVID, Pre-2020 ME/CFS or Post-treatment Lyme Disease. Reach out to [email protected] to sign up.

PolyBio President & Scientific Director of the CoRE clinic, Dr. Amy Proal, linked up today with Dr. Putrino (CoRE Nash Family Director) and Dr. Baxter (CoRE Director of Science Communication) to talk IACCs and neuroinflammation 👇🏻 www.youtube.com/live/bTRKlpO...

1/ Introducing PolyBio’s new interactive website module, where you can learn about our #LongCovid Research Consortium projects, technologies, and findings across international institutions: polybio.org/consortium-p...

PolyBio is excited to begin sharing our #LongCovid, #MECFS and #Lyme+ research on #BlueSky! If you’re still getting to know us, we lead the #LongCovid Research Consortium: a global collaboration between top research teams to comprehensively study LC, focusing on SARS-CoV-2 persistence in tissue.

PolyBio’s Long COVID research consortium members @putrinolab.bsky.social & #MichaelPeluso collaborated at NY’s Grand Rounds to educate the physician community on navigating #LongCovid treatment. The expert panelists discussed key tools & research to tackle this #publichealth crisis.

We’re grateful to announce a new grant from the Wallace Research Foundation will support PolyBio’s multi-lab based study on coagulation, innate immune & vascular biomarkers for #LongCovid. The Harvard-based team can now integrate a targeted analysis for SCV2 proteins. polybio.org/wallace-foun...