Discovering Solutions for Long COVID: A T-Cell Immunology Breakthrough

Virax Biolabs, a biotechnology company specializing in diagnostic technology, is developing an advanced T-cell immunology platform to enable early diagnosis of post-viral syndromes like long COVID and conditions related to chronic inflammation and T-cell exhaustion.

In a recent interview, Virax Bio Labs Virax chief operating officer Nigel McCracken, PhD, MS, spoke with Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) about their T-Cell immunology technology. He discussed Virax’s pioneering work on a T-cell immunology platform designed to improve diagnostics for post-viral syndromes like long COVID. Current tests primarily detect acute infections, but there’s no standardized diagnostic tool to address the complex, chronic nature of long COVID. Virax Biolabs aims to fill this gap by focusing on immune system dysfunction, specifically T-cell activity, which is crucial in managing post-viral syndromes.

The company partnered with the University of Manchester to conduct a study to gain deeper insights into immune responses in COVID-19 patients. This research will specifically focus on individuals experiencing symptoms of long COVID. Utilizing the Virax T-cell assay, the study will longitudinally assess samples from a selected cohort to identify unique phenotypic T-cell profiles associated with these patients.

This collaboration represents a significant step toward understanding immune dysfunction in long COVID, potentially paving the way for more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients suffering from post-viral syndromes.

“Remember when we talk about long COVID, or we talk about post-viral syndromes, we're talking about symptoms that are so different,” McCracken said. “If you read a lot—and certainly in the US press and also in the UK press—[you see] people have been living with [Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)] or chronic fatigue syndrome for 40 [or] 50 years. I've got many, many people I know, as well as relatives [who] have had this [issue.]”

McCracken continued, “[The] interesting thing is, when you look at the symptoms, they're not all the same, but there's an awful lot of commonality around symptoms of long COVID and symptoms of ME, or even Lyme disease if Lyme disease is left for a long period, for things like chronic fatigue, a lot of the cognitive stuff, [and] the post-exercise fatigue and stuff.”

This groundbreaking work offers hope for patients struggling with post-viral conditions and highlights the importance of early detection and targeted therapies in managing chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction.

Virax also recently announced the distribution agreement with Europa Biosite to Commercialize ImmuneSelect in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Listen to this fascinating and enlightening interview to learn more.