Open AccessUsing heparin molecules to manage COVID‐2019
Author(s) -
Liu Jian,
Li Jine,
Arnold Katelyn,
Pawlinski Rafal,
Key Nigel S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2475-0379
DOI - 10.1002/rth2.12353
Subject(s) - heparin , pandemic , intensive care medicine , coronavirus , covid-19 , medicine , coagulopathy , public health , low molecular weight heparin , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , surgery , nursing
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is becoming one of the largest global public health crises in modern history. The race for an effective drug to prevent or treat the infection is the highest priority among health care providers, government officials, and the pharmaceutical industry. Recent evidence reports that the use of low‐molecular‐weight heparin reduces mortality in patients with severe coronavirus with coagulopathy. Although the full scope of the benefits from heparin for COVID‐19 patients is unfolding, encouraging clinical data suggest that heparin‐like molecules may represent a useful approach to treat or prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. The intent of this article is to offer our opinions on the mechanism(s) by which heparin may attenuate the course of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Furthermore, we propose a novel strategy to treat or prevent SARS‐CoV‐2 infection using “designer” heparin molecules that are fabricated using a synthetic biology approach.