The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic associated with the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has required an unprecedented mobilization of resources worldwide. One of the cornerstones to pandemic response is rapid initiation of widespread testing. To meet this need, physicians and researchers at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute were quick to establish reliable testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus, and their experience can serve as a guide for the response to future novel infectious diseases.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been racing to identify therapeutics that prevent the progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection to serious disease. Although vaccine rollout is ongoing, SARS-CoV-2 infection rates are increasing nationwide and there is an urgent need for life-saving interventions. Results of the BLAZE clinical trials involving LY-CoV555, an antibody against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, provide context on these therapeutic possibilities. This research is being conducted through multiple Baylor Scott & White Research Institute (BSWRI) sites across Texas.
