An IiSGM study combining genomics and antiviral therapy opens up new avenues for tackling persistent COVID in immunocompromised patients
Complete sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, a key tool for improving diagnosis and guiding personalized treatments
A team of researchers from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM) has demonstrated that combining advanced genomic techniques with the use of combination antiviral therapies can eliminate persistent COVID in immunocompromised patients, marking a significant advance in the clinical management of these complex cases.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, highlights that complete genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has become a key tool for improving diagnosis and guiding personalised treatments, particularly in patients with onco-haematological diseases such as leukaemia or lymphoma, who face greater difficulties in eliminating the virus.
In these patients, the infection can persist for months, increasing the risk of serious complications and forcing them to interrupt essential cancer therapies. The research, conducted on 15 cases with persistent infections lasting between 12 and 235 days, demonstrates that the use of genomics makes it possible to go beyond conventional tests such as PCR, by distinguishing between persistent infections and reinfections, as well as identifying viral mutations associated with resistance to treatments.
This detailed understanding of the virus’s behaviour in each patient has enabled the researchers to assess the effectiveness of personalised therapeutic strategies based on combining antivirals and monoclonal antibodies. Thanks to this approach, complete elimination of the virus was achieved in 86% of patients, including those in whom previous treatments had failed or who had acquired resistance to one of the individual antivirals, with no serious adverse effects associated with the combination therapy being recorded.
In addition, confirmation of viral clearance enabled patients to safely resume their cancer treatments, a key factor in their prognosis and clinical progress. This study was led by two researchers from the Grupo de Microbiología clínica y enfermedades Infecciosas: Francisco Tejerina, who belongs to the CIBERINFEC group, and Darío García, who is part of CIBERES, both of which are affiliated with the Instituto Carlos III.
The study’s results consolidate genomics as an essential tool in clinical practice and point to a paradigm shift in the treatment of persistent infections in vulnerable patients, placing the IiSGM at the forefront of personalised medicine applied to infectious diseases.
