Greenwich Hospital Offers Plasma Therapy To Coronavirus Patients

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Hospital announced this week ten patients who are "critically ill" as a result of the new coronavirus have received an experimental plasma therapy treatment. The treatment utilizes blood plasma from people who have recovered from the virus, also referred to as COVID-19, hospital officials said in a statement.

The hospital is participating in a nationwide clinical trial overseen by the Mayo Clinic to administer what is known as convalescent plasma to treat the virus. Plasma is the fluid part of the blood left once the red cells, white cells and platelets are separated, according to the hospital.

James Sabetta, the hospital's chief of staff and director of infectious diseases, is the study's principal investor at Greenwich Hospital. The Mayo Clinic was designated the lead investigative institution by the federal government.

"In theory, the plasma contains protective antibodies that can transfer immunity to the coronavirus from a patient who had COVID-19 to someone who is suffering with the disease," Sabetta said in a statement. "The patients who have received the plasma are still in the hospital recovering. It will take time to treat many patients to determine if the convalescent COVID plasma is of benefit."

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To qualify for the experimental treatment, patients must have a severe or life-threatening infection with COVID-19 or be judged to be at high risk of progression to life threatening disease, according to Sabetta. Patients or their families must also give informed consent.

The hospital is getting the plasma from the New York Blood Center.

"Our ability to offer this treatment is dependent on the limited supply of plasma," Sabetta said.

Plans are also underway to screen recovered patients who were tested at Greenwich Hospital to determine if they can register as potential COVID convalescent plasma donors with the New York Blood Center, officials said.

"We want to support this effort given that the center supplies our convalescent plasma," Sabetta said.

Plasma therapy has been used in the past to treat SARS, Ebola and a variety of other infections.

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COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.