Host genes associated with COVID susceptibility; plus Sana, Pfizer, Verge, Seelos and Pathios

A Nature study published by the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative identified four genetic loci associated with general susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and nine others associated with disease severity. Variants of genes encoding the ABO blood group, the stress response regulator PPP1R15A and the transporter protein SLC6A20 were implicated in susceptibility to infection, and variants of the innate immune signaling molecule and autoimmunity target TYK2, the transcription factor FOXP4 and the peptidase DPP9 were implicated in severe disease. The study recruited more than 49,000 COVID-19 patients and 2 million control individuals from 19 countries. 

A PNAS study coauthored by Sonja Schrepfer, a scientific co-founder of cell and gene therapy technology aggregator Sana Biotechnology Inc. (NASDAQ:SANA), showcased the ability of gene-edited “hypoimmune” induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived products to improve cell therapies for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Mouse iPS cells were engineered to express high CD47 levels and lower-than-normal levels of MHCI and MHCII, then differentiated into endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes. Compared with cell grafts derived from unmodified iPS cells, the hypoimmune cells reduced graft rejection and improved perfusion and left ventricular function in mouse models of critical limb ischemia and myocardial infarction (MI), respectively. Hypoimmune endothelial cells that were further modified to express an AAT transgene also restored AAT levels and reduced markers of emphysema in mice with AAT deficiency...