St. George Hospital

Inhaled Heparin Reduces COVID-19 Ventilation Risk by 50% in International Trial

- A clinical trial involving nearly 500 COVID-19 patients across six countries found that inhaled heparin reduced the risk of requiring ventilation by half and significantly lowered mortality rates. - Heparin, traditionally used as an injectable blood clot treatment, demonstrated unique anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-coagulant properties when administered via inhalation directly to the lungs. - Researchers believe the low-cost drug could serve as a pathogen-agnostic treatment for various respiratory infections including influenza, RSV, and pneumonia, making it particularly valuable for pandemic preparedness. - The team plans additional European trials to confirm effectiveness against other respiratory pathogens and is developing an improved inhalation-specific formulation of the drug.