Israeli Hospital First in World to Test Passive COVID-19 Vaccine

Jerusalem, 24 June, 2020 (TPS) -- Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem on Tuesday became the first in the world to test a passive vaccine treatment for Coronavirus (COVID-19) by administering Immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Two months ago, Hadassah Medical Center started collecting plasma rich with antibodies from recovered Coronavirus patients, with the aim of producing a treatment for severely ill patients.

The plasmas collected from the recoverees were processed by the Kamada company at Kibbutz Beit Kama in the Negev for an IgG-based antibody treatment for Corona patients in severe conditions.

Kamada, which develops and manufactures plasma-based drugs, has completed the production of the first dose of human plasma-based corona treatment for COVID-19, a move that has sparked widespread international interest.

Representing approximately 75% of serum antibodies in humans, IgG is the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation.

Hadassah administered the world’s first passive vaccine to a seriously ill patient, a young woman with previous illnesses whose CT results showed completely white lungs, and all known treatment methods have not affected her condition.

Several hours after receiving the treatment, the patient’s condition appears to have stabilized, giving room for cautious optimism.

The venture is operating with the approval of the Ministry of Health and in cooperation with Magen David Adom.

Hadassah CEO Professor Ze’ev Rothstein stated that the hospital is “crossing its fingers” for the success of the treatment and thanked everyone who took part in this “complex operation.”