A NEW international study led by Australian National University (ANU) has found that anti-clotting drug herapin is effective in treating seriously ill COVID patients, with researchers suggesting it may also be useful in fighting other respiratory infections, such as pneumonia.
Lead author Professor Frank van Haren of ANU said the new study confirms heparin's effectiveness against COVID when it is inhaled, rather than injected as per the normal route of administration.
"Our trial - conducted in the early stages of the pandemic - involved almost 500 patients from six different countries," Professor van Haren said.
"All had been hospitalised with COVID but were not yet sick enough to require a breathing machine.
"The heparin treatment halved their risk of being placed on a ventilator and significantly reduced their risk of dying."
Professor van Haren said the results followed earlier findings that breathing and oxygen levels improved in COVID patients after they inhaling a course of heparin.
Known as a pathogen-agnostic drug, heparin could help treat patients with a whole range of respiratory infections, regardless of which viruses or bacteria are causing it.
Inhaled heparin is anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant, and is also relatively cheap, making it more accessible for people in low-income countries.
The team is now working on an improved formulation of heparin specifically designed to be given by inhalation and will conduct a trial in Europe to test its effectiveness against common respiratory infections like influenza and RSV.
The study is available HERE.
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