COVID-19 therapy: could a copper derivative of chlorophyll a be used to treat lymphopenia associated with severe symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Therapeutic doses of SCC have been demonstrated to provide an effective clinical treatment for leukopenia. On this basis, we propose that taking SCC at the onset of symptoms or, for immunocompromised patients, at the time of diagnosis, could reverse the lymphopenia observed during COVID-19. It is envisaged that in symptomatic individuals SCC treatment could control leukocyte homeostasis, specifically of lymphocytes, thereby preventing their progressive reduction that is associated with severe disease outcomes. By first restoring and then maintaining adequate peripheral blood levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes this would enable the immune system of an SCC-treated COVID-19 patient to respond appropriately to resolve SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, it may produce a synergistic effect as SCC is known to block expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Hence, importantly, such SCC therapy would avoid triggering the characteristically excessive inflammation that causes lasting lung epithelial cell damage and cytokine storm events which often precipitate a fatal outcome of COVID-19.