RE: Any Day8 Jun 2021 07:52
in December*
Dave Tapolczay, CEO of SGS said:
"We are delighted with the progress of the ARCADIA trial. Obviously the news that we will shortly have vaccines available is very welcome, but it doesn't remove the need for treatments for COVID-19, especially for those with underlying conditions such as diabetes. In some cases, the vaccines will not be suitable for people with those conditions, in other cases the vaccine may not be 100% effective. Add to this the fact that uptake and supply of the vaccine may not be optimal, and it is highly likely that treatments will be needed for many years to come. Nobody should assume there will be only one way out of this pandemic. Certainly, big pharma companies want to offer a full suite of products for any disease area whether vaccine, prophylaxis, therapeutic, and for recovery. Unlike many other treatments AZD1656 is not virus specific, as it is activating cells within our own body. This gives the treatment an advantage over many other treatments, and potentially it could be used in other virally induced respiratory diseases including other mutations of coronavirus, MERS and pneumonia. This gives AZD1656 longevity as a treatment beyond the current pandemic. AZD1656 is an orally available tablet that is stable at room temperature, making it suitable for use around the world. Furthermore, should the trial be successful, we expect to agree a commercial deal with a partner almost immediately."
Professor Evans said:
“All of us supporting this trial recognise this drug has the potential to make a huge difference to people with diabetes who are unfortunate enough to contract coronavirus and we foresee a significant impact on the level of fatalities in the future. Treatments such as this could be vital as we are likely to be living with this horrific virus for some time to come.”