ABSTRACT
Although medication treatment in COVID-19 patients would have no direct effect on the spread of the disease, a shortening of the period of hospitalization by only a few days would release 25 - 30% of critical-care resources. However, there appears to be no well-established medication treatment available that can do this reliably at the present time. Anti-malarials currently being evaluated, i.e., chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, are not yet established as effective medications, and antiviral agents, including remdesivir, are only weakly active. This position paper report is focused on the modulation of the cytokine storm since it appears to be a major cause of the multi-organ failure in COVID-19. Whereas corticosteroids are not recommended in patients not on mechanical ventilation, immunotherapy with convalescent plasma and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) have been used with some success in COVID-19. There is emerging new evidence that polyvalent immunoglobulins (PVIG) from bovine colostrum given orally can also modulate the immune response. Research using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from colorectal cancer patients (a so called micro-cytokine storm) has shown that PVIG block the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and stimulate the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines. We have been able to confirm these results in a similar model using mononuclear cells from healthy subjects and could demonstrate that the modulations produced by PVIG are quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those obtained using human immunoglobulin (IVIG). Both immunoglobulins reduce the lipopolysaccharide-induced increase in inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL-) 12/23p40 (-90%), IL-6 (-75%) and TNF-α (-60%) and increased the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 (+75%). Evidence is presented that PVIG can produce anti-inflammatory effects similar to these after oral application in patients. Its use is contraindicated in patients with lactose intolerance but is otherwise safe and free of complications in clinical studies including the treatment of infants with gastrointestinal disorders. Conclusion: PVIG appears to be a potential and safe anti-inflammatory agent and can be recommended as a candidate medication for studies in COVID-19 patients.