(Alliance News) - Shares in Mereo Biopharma PLC jumped midday Tuesday after saying it has initiated a phase 1b/2 placebo-controlled clinical trial to examine the safety and efficacy of alvelestat in adult patients that are moderately to severely affected Covid-19.
Shares in the rare diseases-focused biopharmaceutical firm were 9.6% higher at 54.80 pence in London, having spiked to 60.00p.
Alvelestat is a novel, oral small molecule designed to inhibit neutrophil elastase, a key enzyme involved in the destruction of lung tissue.
Mereo said acute lung injury is a manifestation of inflammation in the lungs that can result from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Eutrophil extracellular traps, involving the enzyme neutrophil elastase, may contribute to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury.
By inhibiting neutrophil elastase, alvelestat has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models treating acute lung injury, Mereo said.
The randomised, double-blind study will be conducted at the University of Alabama, with 15 patients receiving either alvelestat plus standard of care or placebo with standard of care for ten days.
The primary endpoint of the trial is safety and tolerability of alvelestat at day ten, with a safety follow-up to day 90. Additional endpoints include blood biomarkers and the oxygen deficit.
"We believe alvelestat may have the potential to become an important therapeutic option for Covid-19-associated respiratory disease. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues at the University of Alabama to investigate alvelestat in this patient population and to complete this study as rapidly as possible to help with the ongoing effort to solve the global Covid-19 crisis," said Jackie Parkin, head of the Alvelestat program at Mereo.
By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com
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