Reflecting on 2025, PolyBio helped lead the fight against Long Covid. We supported 6 clinical trials, started the Long Covid cure initiative, and began charting the route towards validated biomarkers. We’re looking forward to continuing to drive innovation for IACIs in 2026.

To wrap-up our countdown to 2026, we’re highlighting PolyBio’s key contribution to the UCSF LIINC Anktiva trial for Long Covid. The funding will allow advanced testing of patient samples to track changes in SARS-CoV-2 persistence over time.

No.11 on our 2026 countdown: PolyBio began a collaboration with 60 Degrees Pharma on a clinical trial of Tafenoquine for Chronic Babesiosis. The trial is a crucial step forward in finding effective therapies for the disease, which currently has no FDA-approved treatments. #polybio2026countdown

PolyBio’s influential 2025 moments no.10: our contribution to developing advanced diagnostics for Babesiosis. The new methods will allow the research team to assess the prevalence of different Babesia species in over 1400 patients with a spectrum of cardiac, rheumatological & neurological disorders.

No.9 on PolyBio’s End-of-Year countdown: the Banbury meeting on accessible diagnostics of pathogen tissue persistence. The meeting brought together leading scientists to accelerate progress toward reliable diagnostics for infection-associated chronic diseases, including Long COVID.

No.8 on our list of influential PolyBio moments in 2025: the expansion of LIINC to study pre-2019 ME/CFS. The study will investigate key biological drivers of ME/CFS, including persistent gut enterovirus infections and T-cell over-activation in the CNS. #polybio2026countdown

2025 was the year that PolyBio began launching several clinical trials—importantly, the RCT of repurposed HIV antivirals Truvada & Maraviroc for Long Covid at the CoRE clinic. #polybio2026countdown

One of our favourite highlights of the year at PolyBio: Dr. Amy Proal’s TedX talk on the pathogen drivers of human aging. “As [chronic pathogens] live in us, they can create proteins & products that actively distort the signalling of our own human genes.” #polybio2026countdown

A key contribution to the field this year by Dr. Amy Proal, PolyBio President & CEO, was her LA Times Op-Ed—a call-to-arms to both government agencies and private organizations to support Long Covid clinical trials. www.latimes.com/opinion/stor... #polybio #polybio2026countdown

Looking back at some of PolyBio’s most influential moments of 2025–we can’t forget about this collaborative effort between Dr. Iwasaki’s Yale team & Dr. Bragée’s ME/CFS clinic in Sweden. The PolyBio-supported study used cerebrospinal fluid to identify 2 distinct ME/CFS subtypes.

Next up in PolyBio’s influential moments of 2025: we began supporting a clinical trial of low-dose Rapamycin for Long Covid at NYC’s Mount Sinai CoRE clinic. The ongoing study is assessing how patients’ immune markers (i.e. T-cell function) change over time. #polybio2026countdown

Breaking: PolyBio joins HHS Lyme Disease roundtable meeting, as new clinical trial advances treatment for Chronic Babesiosis This week, PolyBio President Dr. Amy Proal attended a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services–convened Lyme Disease roundtable meeting. 🧵

Today at the HHS Invisible Illness roundtable: Dr. Amy Proal (PolyBio President & Scientific Director of the CoRE clinic) with 60 Degrees Pharma CEO, Dr. Geoffrey Dow. Dr.s Proal & Dow were part of the crucial discussion to address gaps in Lyme disease diagnostics & treatment.

PolyBio collaborators joined forces last week at a think tank meeting on pathogenic persistence biomarkers. The discussion focused on accessible biomarkers which showed promise for detecting chronic infections hidden in tissues. These included immune biosensors, extracellular vesicles, and more.

One of PolyBio’s most notable moments of 2025 was the publication of the ‘Long Covid Roadmaps paper,’ which brought together 30+ global experts. The paper was the first of its kind, discussing treatment strategies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 viral reservoir in Long Covid. #polybio2026countdown

We’re counting down to the new year in the best way we know how: by looking back at 12 of PolyBio’s most influential moments of 2025. Follow along with us to recap key research in the complex chronic illness space this year. #polybio2026countdown

We are excited to announce that PolyBio core team members Dr. Amy Proal & Dr. David Putrino are leading a clinical trial of tafenoquine for treatment of chronic babesiosis, in partnership with 60 Degrees Pharma. The trial will take place at Mount Sinai’s CoRE clinic & will treat up to 100 patients.

1/ PolyBio supports research & treatment for children with Long COVID. This year, a study by our team at Harvard Medical School found that neutrophil immune cells from children with Long Covid were hyperactive and associated with pro-inflammatory pathway signaling.

How PolyBio is driving forward ME/CFS research🧵 In 2025, PolyBio’s cofounders helped identify biomarkers that divide ME/CFS patients into two subgroups. One group had elevated MMPs/cytokines consistent with CNS inflammation; the other showed unique immune correlations linked to joint hypermobility.

“We sought out Amy & PolyBio because we cannot afford less than the best knowledge & information to help guide our [mAb trials],” said Invivyd chairman Marc Elia. PolyBio has funded 4+ clinical trials & most recently is supporting sample analysis for a RCT of Anktiva in Long Covid.

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...