MILAN – The Barilla family, a pasta manufacturer of the same name, has donated $ 500,000 to the US-Non-Profit Association “The Cure Alliance” to research a stem cell-based COVID-19 therapy , The group said on Monday.

The clinical preliminary for the treatment, which is being created by a group of international scientists led by Italian teacher Camillo Ricordi, has just gotten an endorsement from the US Food and Drug Administration.

A 24-patient clinical trial will be performed in Miami to assess the effectiveness of therapy aimed at preventing life-threatening lung inflammation occurring in severe cases of coronavirus-triggered disease.

The money was added to a 2 million euro ($2.19 million) donation last month by the company to health institutions in Italy to fight a coronavirus outbreak in the company’s home country.