
Serimmune Study Identifies Significant Biological Distinctions Associated with Long COVID-19
SerImmune, a contract research organization focused on understanding the role of the antibody repertoire in human disease, has announced the utilization of its Serum Epitope Repertoire Analysis (SERA) technology platform in a study designed to investigate Long COVID. The study, published in Nature, aimed to analyze the biological processes related to the development and persistence of Long COVID symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, and malaise. The research, conducted as part of the Mount Sinai-Yale Long COVID (MY-LC) study, involved a cross-sectional examination of 273 individuals using multi-dimensional immune phenotyping and unbiased machine learning.
The study identified significant biological distinctions in the blood of individuals experiencing Long COVID compared to those who did not, even after one year. Titled “Distinguishing features of Long COVID identified through immune profiling,” the study employed various approaches, including Serimmune’s SERA platform and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to examine antiviral reactivity patterns. The SERA platform was also used to analyze non-SARS-CoV-2 antigens, revealing that Long COVID patients exhibited elevated antibody responses against both SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS-CoV-2 viral antigens, with a particular emphasis on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antigens. The data could be used to better diagnose Long COVID patients in the future given the unique biological signature.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown a decline in long COVID cases among adults in the United States. Data analyzed from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey covering the period from June 2022 to June 2023 indicated that the prevalence of long COVID symptoms among U.S. adults decreased from 7.5% to 6%. The decline in long COVID cases is attributed to several factors, including a decrease in the overall number of COVID-19 infections, a reduction in severe infections, and increased preventive measures. However, the report also highlighted that more than one in four long COVID patients (26.4%) continue to experience significant limitations in their ability to perform daily activities. Long COVID is characterized by a range of physical and mental health problems, including malaise, fatigue, breathing difficulties, cardiovascular abnormalities, migraines, and mental health impairments. Recognizing the ongoing impact of long COVID, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the formation of a new Office of Long COVID Research and Practice to conduct further studies on the condition and provide support to those diagnosed with it. In a July 2022 revision of previous data, David Cutler from Harvard University approximates that the overall economic burden of long COVID amounts to $3.7 trillion. Additionally, it is estimated that up to 4 million individuals are currently unable to work as a result of Long COVID.
Serimmune provides a discovery service to academia, government, and industry using the Serimmune universal serology platform. Serimmune’s Serum Epitope Repertoire Analysis (SERA) technology platform combines bacterial display peptide libraries, next-generation sequencing, machine learning, and custom bioinformatics. This approach reveals a wide range of antigens that trigger immune responses. It offers a comprehensive view of an individual’s environmental exposures and their unique immune responses in both disease and health contexts.