Traverse City Opens Nation's First Long COVID Treatment Center
HealthBio and Celly Health have opened the nation's first dedicated long COVID treatment center in Traverse City, launching a national rollout that pairs an innovative 6- to 12-week drug regimen with telehealth access. The development positions the community as a hub for emerging long COVID care — a potential local benefit for residents struggling with persistent symptoms and for the regional economy.
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Traverse City this week became the site of the nation’s first dedicated long COVID treatment center as HealthBio, led locally by Dr. Bruce Patterson, announced a partnership with national primary-care network Celly Health to expand access across the United States. The center, which opened around Oct. 21–23, 2025, will combine in-person care with telehealth services to reach patients who cannot travel to northern Michigan.
The treatment protocol being offered is a 6- to 12-week regimen that uses FDA-approved drugs maraviroc and atorvastatin to address immune dysregulation thought to underlie many long COVID symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and post-exertional malaise. HealthBio has applied the regimen locally on an off-label basis with reported success, and the company has pursued formal FDA evaluation in a series of trials that underpin the national expansion.
The new center and partnership were confirmed in reporting by MLive on Oct. 21, 2025 and build on earlier coverage by The Ticker. HealthBio entered FDA trials of the maraviroc-atorvastatin combination in February 2024, and in February 2025 the company began a 32-week fast-track clinical trial involving 252 patients to evaluate safety and efficacy. Dr. Patterson, a former Stanford virologist who relocated his company (then called IncellDx) to Traverse City in January 2023, leads HealthBio’s work from the local site.
Local health officials and community leaders say the center could have immediate implications for Grand Traverse County residents. Long COVID is estimated to affect roughly 20 million Americans, and persistent symptoms can disrupt everyday life, work, and participation in community and seasonal industries that are significant in this region. By offering specialized care locally and remotely, the center aims to reduce travel burdens for northern Michigan patients and potentially draw out-of-area patients who will use local services and lodging while visiting for in-person consultations.
The partnership integrates HealthBio’s patented drug combination with Celly Health’s primary-care network, a model intended to scale treatment delivery while clinical trial results are finalized. The timing coincides with broader local efforts to grow biotech capacity; organizations such as Boomerang Catapult have supported a small but growing cluster of life-sciences activity in the region that this center could further catalyze, potentially creating higher-value jobs and research opportunities.
Important questions remain. Final clinical trial outcomes are expected later in 2025, and real-world patient efficacy data from the new center will need independent verification. Insurance reimbursement for off-label regimens and the pace of any expansion beyond Traverse City are also unresolved and will affect long-term community impact.
The Traverse City center represents a notable step in local healthcare innovation: a small northern Michigan city now hosts a nationally positioned treatment program for a condition that has touched millions. Residents seeking care or more information should follow updates from HealthBio, Celly Health and local health authorities as trial data and real-world results become available.