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SINGAPORE – The final phase of the clinical trial for a Covid-19 antibody developed by Singaporean biotech company Tychan began on Friday (December 11).
The antibody can potentially help coronavirus patients recover faster, while slowing the progression of the infection.
Some 1,305 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 will voluntarily participate in clinical trials.
If clinical trials are successful, the antibody will be sent to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and other regulatory agencies for review as a new drug.
In October, HSA gave Tychan the green light to begin final stage testing.
Singapore General Hospital and National University Hospital have partnered with Tychan for trials, while Changi General Hospital and Sengkang General Hospital can refer suitable patients to participate.
A six-week phase one trial in June with 23 healthy volunteers yielded good results in terms of safety, said Tychan co-founder Ooi Eng Eong.
Clinical trials are commonly conducted in four phases, starting with a small group to test the drug’s safety and side effects, then moving on to larger groups to determine its effectiveness.
Typically in phase three, what is being tested is whether the drug works as intended to prevent illness or speed recovery.
Unlike previous trials, phase three will also involve patients from partner hospitals abroad, such as the Sheba Medical Center in Israel.
“Because Singapore has been successful in containing Covid-19, there has been a very low incidence of the disease,” said Professor Ooi, who works at the Duke National University Singapore (Duke-NUS) School of Medicine.
He added that Tychan is exploring collaborations with other medical facilities in countries where the incidence of Covid-19 remains high.
The Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, and the Economic Development Board are among several partners Tychan is working with to develop the antibody.
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