Southern Research Drug Development is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides commercial and government clients with a wide variety of nonclinical and clinical trial support services. We offer an array of studies including both in vitro and in vivo testing of small molecule compounds, vaccines, biologics and other test articles in therapeutic areas, such as infectious disease, CNS and cancer. Our nationally recognized team of dedicated individuals provides expertise and services spanning from basic research to advanced studies under FDA GLP regulations.

Publications

Perspective on “Tissue Reservoirs for SARS-CoV2”

Raj Kalkeri, Scott Goebel, and Guru Dutt Sharma
Publisher: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The ongoing pandemic COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has already resulted in more than 3 million cases and more than 200,000 deaths globally. Significant clinical presentations of COVID-19 include respiratory symptoms and pneumonia. In a minority of patients, extrapulmonary organs (central nervous system, eyes, heart, and gut) are affected, with detection of viral RNA in bodily secretions (stool, tears, and saliva). Infection of such extrapulmonary organs may serve as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, representing a potential source of viral shedding after the cessation of respiratory symptoms in recovered patients or in asymptomatic individuals. It is extremely important to understand this phenomenon, as individuals with intermittent virus shedding could be falsely identified as reinfected and may benefit from ongoing antiviral treatment. The potential of SARS-CoV-2 infection to rapidly disseminate and infect extrapulmonary organs is likely mediated through the nonstructural and accessory proteins of SARS-CoV-2, which act as ligands for host cells, and through evasion of host immune responses. The focus of this perspective is the extrapulmonary tissues affected by SARS-CoV-2 and the potential implications of their involvement for disease pathogenesis and the development of medical countermeasures.

© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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As a CRO service provider, Southern Research’s Drug Development division has a straightforward business model. Contact our business development representative by clicking here. A confidentiality disclosure agreement will be initiated (your agreement or ours) to facilitate detailed discussions around your specific needs. One of our subject matter experts will be brought into the discussion to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of your project. A proposal will then be prepared, outlining the tasks to be accomplished, along with a budget and timeline. Upon acceptance of the proposal, a contract will be provided to establish the legal framework for the project.