November 5, 2021 -- Nucleome Therapeutics touted a study that was published November 4 in Nature Genetics in which researchers said they have identified a gene that possibly doubles the risk of death from COVID-19. The study was led by the company's academic founders who are from the University of Oxford.
The researchers identified a gene that potentially doubles the risk of death from COVID-19, with the company's technology used to identify the gene. Study authors called the gene LZTFL1 (Nature Genetics, Vol. 53, pp. 1606-1615).
The study's authors suggest that a higher level of LZTFL1 likely prevents the cells lining the airways and the lungs from fighting the virus properly, but it doesn't affect the immune system. The authors added that individuals carrying this version are likely to particularly benefit from vaccination.