Mw not a vaccine for Covid: PGI

Naina Mishra

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

In the pre-study phase, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has assessed the safety of Mycobacterium w (Mw) drug on four hospitalised patients with Covid-19 and found no short-term adverse effects.

However, the institute has clarified that Mw is not a vaccine for Covid-19 and it is too early to say about the outcome of results and its use.

Prof GD Puri, Head, Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care & Dean (Academics), explains: “Mw is not a vaccine for Covid-19. It is an adjunctive immunomodulatory treatment (in addition to standard care) for patients with sepsis. Mw is one of the drugs that is going to be evaluated on Covid-19 patients like many other treatments (remdesivir, tocilizumab and others) that are being tried in this disease.”

Mw can potentially decrease the cytokine storm seen in patients with Covid-19, and may thus be of potential benefit in managing these patients and decreasing mortality.

Dr Puri said: “In a multi-centre trial, we have shown that Mw decreases mortality in patients with severe sepsis. It is possible that adjunctive Mw can potentially decrease the cytokine storm seen in patients with Covid-19. We have used Mw in four patients with Covid where it was found to be safe. This was not an efficacy trial and we do not know whether Mw improves the outcome in Covid.”

As per the official statement of the PGI, the impact of Mw use on long-term safety and efficacy will only be known after the conclusion of CSIR-supported clinical trial, which will be initiated soon at all three centres.

A prospective randomised trial has been planned by the PGI, Chandigarh, along with AIIMS, Delhi, and AIIMS, Bhopal, to study the effectiveness of Mw in hospitalised patients of Covid.

These selected institutes will study the use of Mycobacterium w (heat-killed Mycobacterium indicus pranii) as adjunct to the treatment of critically ill Covid patients. Around 40 patients each will be enrolled for trials, which will be managed by the CSIR.

About cytokine storm

Cytokine storm is an overreaction of the body’s immune system. When the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic enters the lungs, it triggers an immune response, attracting immune cells to the region to attack the virus, resulting in localised inflammation. In some patients, excessive or uncontrolled levels of cytokines are released, which then activate more immune cells, resulting in hyperinflammation.

Why Mw for Covid

As Covid pandemic is associated with high mortality, patients with Covid have higher cytokine levels. An immunomodulator may thus be of potential benefit in managing these patients. Heat-killed Mycobacterium w (Mw), originally developed as an immunomodulator for leprosy, acts through the toll-like receptors (TLRs) pathway and enhances host-T cell responses.