The next generation of drug delivery systems may comprise cell-inspired drug carriers that are entirely synthetic, developed from insights from cell-based therapeutics to overcome limitations of current cell therapy.

On the other end, the significant morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 have prompted a global race to develop new therapies. These include interventions using cell- or cell-derived products, several of which are being tested in well-designed, adequately controlled clinical trials.

In this webinar, we will present a review of the status of cell-based therapies in delivering therapeutics to the lung and evaluate current progress and the use of engineered biosynthetic nanoparticles to enhance drug loading and release properties.

This will be followed by an overview of evidence from emerging clinical trials of cell-based therapy for severe COVID-19, and the future of clinical investigation of cell-based therapies for severe respiratory failure will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

• To understand the gaps and challenges for cell-therapy clinical trials and testing MSCs and EVs in ARDS.
• To learn the potential for cell-free based therapies to facilitate delivery of therapies to the lung.
• To learn the different nanoparticles and nanocarriers to deliver biological agents for immunomodulatory and regenerative treatment.
• To evaluate the findings of recently completed clinical trials of cell therapy in COVID-19.
• To analyse future cell-therapy innovations and trial designs required to demonstrate the potential efficacy of cell-therapy interventions.

Topics and Experts:

 “Insights from trials in COVID-19”
Prof Ger CURLEY
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin (IE)

“Nanoparticles – the future for regenerative medicine?”
Prof Antonio ARTIGAS
Corporacion Sanitaria Universitaria Parc Tauli and Sagrado Corazon-General de Cataluña Hospitals, Barcelona (ES)

Moderator:

Prof John LAFFEY
Chair, ESICM Translational Biology Section