Therapy With Allogeneic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2-Specific T Cells for Persistent Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Immunocompromised Patients

Abstract

We administered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 viral-specific T cells (VSTs) under emergency investigational new drug applications to 6 immunocompromised patients with persistent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and characterized clinical and virologic responses. Three patients had partial responses after failing other therapies but then died. Two patients completely recovered, but the role of VSTs in recovery was unclear due to concomitant use of other antivirals. One patient had not responded to 2 courses of remdesivir and experienced sustained recovery after VST administration. The use of VSTs in immunocompromised patients with persistent COVID-19 requires further study.

Keywords: COVID-19; T cell; immunocompromised; prolonged infection.