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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a global pandemic resulting in significant mortality and morbidity. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infections and significantly reducing disease severity and mortality. We report on a novel COVID-19 antibody test assay using a unique platform to rapidly detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with a drop of fingerstick blood in a subject following COVID-19 vaccination. We show early detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies post vaccination and persistence of detectable antibodies for at least 6 months. Rapid point of care COVID-19 antibody tests might have a role in assessing the appearance and durability of immune response following COVID-19 vaccination.

The world is engulfed by one of the most widespread and significant public health crises in decades as COVID-19 has become among the leading causes of death internationally. The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus which causes COVID-19 has unified the scientific community in search of therapeutic and preventative solutions. The top priorities at the moment are twofold: first, to repurpose already-approved pharmacologic agents or develop novel therapies to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the ever-spreading virus. Secondly, the scientific and larger pharmaceutical community have been tasked with the development, testing, and production of a safe and effective vaccine as a longer-term solution to prevent further spread and recurrence throughout the populace. The purpose of this article is to review the most up-to-date published data regarding both the leading pharmacological therapies undergoing clinical trials and vaccine candidates in development to stem the threat of COVID-19., Highlights • A pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become a leading cause of death globally. • The anti-viral agent remdesivir was effective in patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and had lower respiratory tract infection. • The results of a number of clinical trials repurposing immunomodulatory agents have been reported, with positive results for dexamethasone in severe COVID-19. • The development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine appears to be eminent.

SummaryInfection caused by SARS-CoV-2 can result in severe respiratory complications and death. Patients with a compromised immune system are expected to be more susceptible to a severe disease course. In this report we suggest that patients with systemic lupus erythematous might be especially prone to severe COVID-19 independent of their immunosuppressed state from lupus treatment. Specially, we provide evidence in lupus to suggest hypomethylation and overexpression ofACE2, which is located on the X chromosome and encodes a functional receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Oxidative stress induced by viral infections exacerbates the DNA methylation defect in lupus, possibly resulting in furtherACE2hypomethylation and enhanced viremia. In addition, demethylation of interferon-regulated genes, NFκB, and key cytokine genes in lupus patients might exacerbate the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and increase the likelihood of cytokine storm. These arguments suggest that inherent epigenetic dysregulation in lupus might facilitate viral entry, viremia, and an excessive immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Further, maintaining disease remission in lupus patients is critical to prevent a vicious cycle of demethylation and increased oxidative stress, which will exacerbate susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection during the current pandemic. Epigenetic control of theACE2gene might be a target for prevention and therapy in COVID-19.

The current treatments of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been based on the use of immunosuppressive drugs which are linked to serious side effects. The more effective therapeutic approaches with minimal or no side effects for SLE patients are hard to develop, mainly due to the complexity of the disease. The discovery of pharmacoepigenetics provides a new way to solve this problem. Epigenetic modifications can influence drug efficacy by altering gene expression via changing chromatin structure. Although still in early development, epigenetic studies in SLE are expected to reveal novel therapeutic targets and disease biomarkers in autoimmunity. For example, miRNAs, which have been identified to govern many genes including drug targets, are altered in disease development and after drug administration. This review aims to present an overview of current epigenetic mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, and discuss their potential roles in clinical and pharmacological applications.