Can a test shape the right COVID treatment?
UMES alum and privatesector partners think they found one that works
A partnership between UMES and a
A year ago, Figliozzi was working with IES
“What you’re going to get [is] … maybe
Dorchester County biotech company has
Life Sciences Inc. in Cambridge, Md., which
two or three levels,” Jubin said in an interview
produced promising results for a test to
had been focused on developing technology
with WUSA. “So, no disease, low disease, high
guide treatment options for newly diagnosed
involving its research on lupus and cancer-
disease.”
COVID-19 patients.
detection when the pandemic was declared.
“The doctor needs to determine if a
The team of scientists shifted its attention to
patient has a score of 10, or a one or a five,”
taking on the COVID-19 virus.
he said, “they need to easily understand what
Pending emergency authorization by the federal government, the test shows potential
that means.”
in helping identify effective treatment
Figliozzi did his doctoral research under
protocols while alleviating pressure on
Dr. Victor Hsia, who conducts research
resources, including healthcare providers on
on the herpes virus, which shares some
the frontlines.
characteristics with the COVID version.
“My cousin died on a Saturday from
“As soon as we get … the rigorous FDA
Figliozzi’s familiarity with Hsia’s work helped
COVID,” he said. “My mother died on the
approval and authorization process, we’ll be
guide the UMES-IES research partnership in
Sunday from COVID ... (the) same weekend.”
able to get … this test directly into the hands
concentrating on biomarkers to gauge how a
Figliozzi said a challenge has been trying
of labs and clinicians all around the country,
body’s immune system responds to the new
to measure if an infected patient’s immune
and hopefully, the world,” Dr. Rob Figliozzi
disease.
system reacts favorably and causes little or no
IES’s chief executive officer David Spiegel has seen COVID’s impact up close.
“We’re looking at individuals’ ... total
life-threatening symptoms -- or will the virus
immune health, and how they’re responding
cause what is known medically as “cytokine
his
to this infection,” Dr. Figliozzi said in an
storm.”
doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences with a
interview with WUSA TV in Washington, D.C.
“The virus,” he said, “is hiding from your
specialization in toxicology. He’s been putting
“And we’re grouping them into little groups.
immune system. The cytokine -- the biomarker
human DNA samples from COVID patients
And different groups have different severity
-- (is) being suppressed in ways, and others
through a rigorous analysis of “biomarkers,”
levels.”
are being over activated in ways.”
told WBAL TV. Figliozzi, a 2020 University of Maryland Eastern
Shore
alumnus,
earned
Dr. Ronald Jubin, IES’ co-founder and its
“That overreaction and under reaction
chief science officer, said the research efforts
is what leads to bad symptomology,” Figliozzi
“What we found was that we’re able to
have been aimed at developing a roadmap
told TV reporters.
detect the severity of the COVID-19 disease
that provides physicians more information
“We need to catch people as early as we
based on these biomarkers,” Figliozzi said in
about how to develop a customized treatment
can,” he said in his interview with WBAL. “It’s
an interview with WBOC TV.
strategy.
really exciting.”
looking for indicators that can project potential seriousness of the infection.
UMES RxTIMES > Spring 2021
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