Years of work in stem cell therapy technology by Mesoblast could soon be used to help COVID-19 patients in the United States facing the final and worst phase of the virus.

Australia is well known for its leadership in medical science thanks to the genius and determination of individuals working in a sector that consumes enormous amounts of development capital.

Mesoblast chief executive Silviu Itescu stands out among his peers for his long-term commitment to innovation in stem cell research.

This paid off on Monday when the company said it had clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an Investigational New Drug application to treat patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19.

Mesoblast's Silviu Itescu could soon be seeing the benefits of years of research in COVID-19 patients. David Rowe

The treatment involves intravenous infusions of its allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product candidate Remestemcel-L.

It says a lot about the depth and breadth of the coronavirus disaster in the US that the FDA was willing to move so quickly to approve the use of the Mesoblast treatment on US patients.