By Quaid Najmi
Mumbai, Jun 22 (IANS): Mumbai scientist-cum-researcher Pradeep Mahajan - who recently developed a unique stem-cell/platelet-based remedy to kill the coronavirus naturally - has bagged two top Global Health & Pharma, UK, awards for his therapy, here on Tuesday.
Mahajan has been conferred the award for the "Best Regenerative Medicine & Cell-Based Therapies Development Company 2021" and the "GHP Innovation Excellence Award for Mesenchymal Stem Cells and LPRP Manufacturing Services 2021", in a virtual ceremony from London.
The GHP awards honour and acknowledge individuals and companies which go above and beyond to come up with breakthrough innovations and giving their valuable contribution to the scientific community, and Mahajan's achievement was first highlighted by IANS on May 10.
The Chairman of StemRx Biosciences Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Mahajan, 61, says that the stem-cell/lyophilized platelet remedy is a proven protocol for Covid and post-Covid patients on OPD basis, without requiring hospitalization for targeting the primary lung disease.
He said that the lungs are the prime target of Covid-19, causing maximum morbidity, highest stay in ICU/Ventilators and deaths, and post-treatment, the patient requires oxygen for several months as lungs develop fibrosis.
"I am particularly positive about the use of platelet lysate for the treatment of post-Covid Syndrome. The different growth factors present in the concentrate play roles in cell migration, stimulating cells to perform their functions more efficiently, boosting blood supply, and tissue repair, among other things," he said.
"Accordingly, these factors can collectively help in reducing inflammation, enhancing oxygenation, reducing scar tissue, etc., all of which would help in symptom resolution and healthy tissue regeneration," Mahajan added.
Though it is important to consider individual symptoms as well as personalise the treatment protocols, the overall goal should be to ensure that the core pathologies are targeted, so as to prevent long-term functional disability of any kind, he said.
He rued that while the world is still grappling with the second, third, fourth waves of the coronavirus pandemic, "there is no cohesive treatment protocol for the condition" though its nearly one-and-half years since it first attacked mankind.
"My team has developed a unique way to kill the virus 'naturally with anti-inflammatory agents' and reduce their prevalence, slash the hospital stay of patients by 65-75 per cent, as many patients, especially those who had acquired Covid-19 severely, experience multi-system issues termed as 'Post-Covid Syndrome,' needing attention," Mahajan said.
While most drugs, therapies, and even vaccines target the Coronavirus rather than the environment in which it thrives, so they do not give the desired success rate, and in order to survive, the virus continues to mutate.
Hence, for us to combat it, we must develop a protocol with our own platelets, which play a fundamental role in respiratory disorders resulting from viral infections, being the first line of defence against viruses, Mahajan pointed out.
The clinical benefits of platelet concentrates have already been investigated and patented, and now Mahajan plans to take it to benefit the maximum number of Covid infectees.