(Reuters) – Synairgen Plc (SYNG.L) said Monday that his drug helped reduce the risk of serious cases in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, according to data from a trial of more than 100 people in the UK, which triggered his actions.
The trial, which used interferon beta, showed that patients who received the Synairgen formulation had a 79% lower risk of developing severe forms of the disease compared to placebo.
Patients who received the drug, SNG001, were more than twice as likely to recover from COVID-19 than those who received placebo, the company said.
The company’s shares nearly tripled to 97.50 pence, compared to Friday’s close of 36.50 pence.
The company said no deaths were reported in patients treated with SNG001, while three people died after being randomized to receive placebo.
The measure of dyspnea was also markedly reduced in patients who received the drug, Synairgen added.
Interferon beta is a natural protein that regulates the body’s antiviral responses.
Reports from Aakash Jagadeesh Babu in Bangalore; Editing by Bernard Orr
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