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Watching the coverage and excitement around dexamethasone was extremely encouraging .... imagine if SNG works. Wow. You won’t see the share price for dust.
Totally different usage at different stages of the disease. The hype would be massive
Made me happy to hold. I’d be nervous if I wasn’t , worrying when this may take off in similar fashion.
From Synairgens website ......
Just as a reminder
IFN-ß for the treatment of COVID-19
Interferon beta (IFN-beta) is a naturally occurring protein, which orchestrates the body’s antiviral responses. There is evidence that deficiency in IFN-beta production by the lung could explain the enhanced susceptibility of these at-risk patient groups to developing severe lung disease during respiratory viral infections. Furthermore, viruses, including coronaviruses, have evolved mechanisms which suppress endogenous IFN-beta production, thereby helping the virus evade the innate immune system.
In the lab IFN-beta has been shown to protect cells from infection with a broad range of respiratory viruses that cause LRT illness including highly pathogenic coronavirus strains, including MERS-CoV (Figure 1 below), SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2**, the virus which causes COVID-19.
Synairgen is developing a formulation of IFN-beta, called SNG001, for direct delivery to the lungs via nebulisation, to treat and/or prevent LRT illness caused by respiratory viruses.
In clinical trials in asthma and COPD, inhaled SNG001 has been well tolerated and shown to upregulate lung antiviral defences. In two Phase II trials in asthma, inhaled SNG001 improved lung function in patients with a cold or flu infection. A trial in COPD is ongoing. Early data has shown that the drug is well tolerated and upregulates lung antiviral defences in COPD.
SNG001 therefore could prove to have an important role to play in outbreaks such as the current COVID-19 epidemic, particularly in at risk groups that develop severe LRT viral illness.
Note ..” The trial in COPD is on going.Early data has shown that the drug is well tolerated and unregulates lung antiviral defences in COPD”
TYPICAL FRIDAY RMR DOING THE ROUNDS on TWITTER
BeeClever
@sharedycat1
·
3h
Following
@AstraZeneca walking away from @GileadSciences are @GileadSciences now looking to acquire @Synairgen and add #SNG001 to their #COVID19 treatments.
@business
@cnnbrk
@foxnewsalert
@ABC
@FT
@TimesBusiness
@SkyNewsBreak
Any truth in this rumour?
Tom Wilkinson told Sky News: 'We are hoping that the drug will increase the rate of recovery from infection, that it will increase the protection in the bit of the lungs that are not infected yet and will reduce the number of patients that decline significantly and require intubation and ventilation.'
Mr Marsden said: 'A successful outcome from this trial [at Southampton] in COVID-19 patients would be a major breakthrough in the fight against this coronavirus pandemic.'
Interferon beta-1b (IFN-beta) is a naturally occurring protein that orchestrates the body's anti-viral responses
Interferon beta-1b/SNG001
What are the brand versions of the drug?
The drug is still in development and goes by the name of SNG001.
What does it treat?
Interferon beta-1b (IFN-beta) is a naturally occurring protein that orchestrates the body's anti-viral responses.
SNG001 is a formulation of IFN-beta developed by Synairgen to prevent severe lower respiratory tract illness caused by cold and flu infections.
A different formulation using the protein is used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The drug called Extavia is self-injected every two days and works by slowing down the damage to the nervous system and by reducing the number of relapses.
Where has it already been tested?
Synairgen is a UK-based company, and it appears their formulation hasn't crossed overseas yet.
But it does say has been approached by, and is in discussion with, a number of scientific and governmental bodies in the US and internationally since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
What have studies shown?
Laboratory studies have shown IFN-beta can protect cells from infection by a range of respiratory viruses.
These include the MERS and SARS coronavirus strains, leaving scientists expecting IFN-beta to also protect against the COVID-19 strain.
It has already been shown to improve the recovery of asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients who have other lung infections, such as flu.
Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen, said: 'SNG001 has been well tolerated in clinical trials in over 200 respiratory patients to date and has accelerated lung function recovery in two Phase II asthma trials in patients with a cold or flu infection.'
How does it work?
SNG001 is inhaled with a nebuliser, which helps deliver drugs to the lungs.
Scientists believe it will prevent the coronavirus from taking over lung cells to replicate. This would prevent patients deteriorating until the point they need ventilation to survive.
Viruses, including coronaviruses, can evolve the ability to suppresses IFN-beta production in the body, thereby helping the virus evade.
Is it being tested in the UK?
Southampton researchers are conducting a Phase II SNG001 trial on COVID-19 patients to see if it could prevent worsening symptoms in those most at risk.
The trial, led by Professor Tom Wilkinson at University Hospital Southampton, will involve 100 patients at Southampton and up to ten other NHS hospitals. It started recruiting mid-March.
Those patients will receive the best current COVID19 care, whilst inhaling either a placebo or SNG001 for 14 days.
What are its side effects?
Doctors are currently clueless. Side effects will be reported with the findings of the clinic trial.
Other forms of interferon beta can cause headaches, vaginal bleeding and diminish libido.
What do the experts think .....
https://twnews.co.uk/uk-news/coronavirus-sweden-chloroquine-trials-stop-due-to-side-effects
The Implications: IFNs Could Help Treat COVID-19
Different types of IFN are being evaluated for efficacy in the current pandemic, such as IFN ß-1b in combination with lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin in mild to moderate COVID-19, and nebulized IFN a-2b with oral arbidol.
The Iranian research study suggests that IFN ß-1a added to the standard of care increased the proportion of patients discharged by day 14, and reduced the mortality at 28 days. Early administration of the drug improved survival rates. The tolerability and safety profile of the drug was also acceptable.
The study thus points to the need to confirm these findings and hopefully develop a more effective therapy for severe COVID-19 disease.
htTps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16571-4
Type I interferon sensing unlocks dormant adipocyte inflammatory potential
In sum, our report highlights a potentially undervalued role for adipocytes in the context of type I IFN-driven pathogenic diseases and suggest that greater examination of these cells could lead to expanded insights into disease pathogenesis. Thus, it is plausible that novel pharmacological intervention into the type I IFN/IFNAR axis function, in both adipocytes and immune cells, would provide alternative approaches to dampen type I IFN-driven diseases, including obesity-associated metabolic harm.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200602/Does-interferon-therapy-work-in-COVID-19.aspx
https://hstalks.com/t/4301/inf-therapy-for-covid-19-the-new-sng001-drug/?biosci
It will fade. That’s inevitable. But no one knows if it will return. Or a variant in future.
And the number of cases worldwide is still massive
If this works it can be used prophylactically and stock piled. It could be used in COPD patients at the first sign of viral loading.
The market for SNG001 is huge, even if Covid 19 is fading