[ad_1]
A new inhaled protein treatment has been found to speed recovery and reduce the chances of developing severe COVID-19 in patients, the researchers said.
Small-scale trial results for the drug, known as SNG001, suggest that users were more than twice as likely to recover from COVID-19, compared to those who received the placebo drug.
The drug, which was developed by Southampton-based biotechnology. Synairgen, contains interferon beta-1a, a protein produced naturally by the body to fight viral infections.
The protein is taken through a nebulizer.
SNG001 is inhaled through a nebulizer, in an attempt to trigger an immune response.
The scientists say their findings, which have been published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, are proof of concept that the drug could help. coronavirus patients in the hospital recover.
However, the group notes that more research is required with a larger randomized clinical trial, as their study only involved 98 volunteers.
Professor Tom Wilkinson from the University of Southampton, who led the study, said: “The results confirm our belief that interferon beta, a widely known drug approved for use in its injectable form for other indications, may have the potential As an inhaled drug to restore the lung’s immune response and accelerate recovery from COVID-19.
“Inhaled interferon beta-1a provides high local concentrations of the immune protein, which strengthens lung defenses rather than targeting specific viral mechanisms.
“This could have additional benefits of treating COVID-19 infection when it occurs in conjunction with infection with another respiratory virus, such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that may well be found in the winter months.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
During the SNG001 trial, 48 volunteers were given the drug, while all others received the placebo. It was double blind, meaning that neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew what drug they were receiving.
Patients who had SNG001 were more than twice as likely to recover, compared to those who received the placebo, the researchers said.
In a linked comment, Nathan Peiffer-Smadja of Assistance Publique – Hopitaux in Paris, France, who was not involved in the research, said: “The number of patients enrolled in this pilot clinical trial is, of course, small.
:: Subscribe to the daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
“Furthermore, this study did not show any impact of the assessed treatment on time to discharge or mortality, although the study obviously did not have the power to answer the last question.
“Therefore, larger randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these results.”
He added that the safety of inhaling the protein with a nebulizer “will be of special interest since the nebulization of interferon does not yet have a marketing authorization for any indication.”
