R61/R33 from NIH/NHLBI
In the intensive care unit, doctors often have to wake patients up in order to get them to breathe off the ventilator, which leads to patients experiencing pain and anxiety, and contributes to a nearly $1 billion annual cost of prolonged intubation for patients with respiratory depression. The Pediatric Translational Research group has developed molecules that stimulate breathing to help patients get off the ventilator without requiring that their pain control medicine be stopped. In this project, investigators will establish which of these compounds is best and do the necessary experiments to get the lead compound ready for FDA review.
Emerging Therapies Award from the Wells Center for Pediatric Research
Although safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 now exist, viral variants emerged that can break through in vaccinated patients and the pandemic is ongoing. Unfortunately, it appears that this pandemic could last for many more years. Treatments for COVID-19 are needed alongside vaccines.
Since COVID-19 begins in the nasal passages, targeted therapies to the nasal passages at early stages of the disease may prevent severe disease from occurring. Dr. Mike Davis hypothesizes that nasal delivery of Optate will decrease SARS-CoV-2 nasal infection and symptoms. To test this hypothesis, the team will conduct a trial in patients with early COVID-19. Outcomes of this trial would include nasal viral load, duration of symptoms, development of lower respiratory symptoms, and symptom severity. If this trial is successful and future funding is available, the Pediatric Translational Research team proposes subsequent studies evaluating multiple doses of Optate and its efficacy against other pH-dependent respiratory viruses.