WAKEFIELD, MA – April 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (“the Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, is pleased to report that based on molecular screening of 11,552 compounds comprising already FDA-approved drugs and those in clinical testing, Brilacidin, the Company’s defensin-mimetic drug candidate targeting COVID-19, was identified as one of the most promising potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. The researchers who conducted the study concluded: “Clearly, these compounds should be further evaluated in experimental assays and clinical trials to confirm their actual activity against the disease.” The corresponding article, and a related image (Table 1), are provided below.
· Cavasotto C, et al (2020). “In Silico Drug Repurposing for COVID-19: Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Proteins through Docking and Quantum Mechanical Scoring.” ChemRxiv. Preprint. Posted April 12, 2020.
https://chemrxiv.org/articles/In_silico_Drug_Repurposing_for_COVID-19_Targeting_SARS-CoV-2_Proteins_through_Docking_and_Quantum_Mechanical_Scoring/12110199 (pdf)
Brilacidin has shown, in cellular assays, direct antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, and has been selected for further antiviral testing by researchers at the U.S. Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) who conducted these initial tests. A majority of drugs undergoing such testing at the RBL do not meet this threshold. The next phase of Brilacidin’s testing at the RBL is scheduled to commence shortly, with lab results to be shared upon completion. The Company also continues to engage in discussions with health care provider networks and hospitals both in the United States and Europe regarding options to rapidly advance Brilacidin testing into human trials.
Brilacidin and COVID-19
Linked below is an overview document (a downloadable pdf) summarizing mechanism of action, pre/clinical data and academic literature supporting the development of Brilacidin as a potential novel COVID-19 therapeutic. This document builds on a previous version released at the beginning of March.
· “Mechanism of Action, Pre/Clinical Data and Academic Literature Supporting Brilacidin as a Potential Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Treatment” (April 20, 2020)
http://www.ipharminc.com/s/Brilacidin-for-COVID-19-Overview-MOA-PreClinical-Data-Academic-Literature-42020.pdf
Brilacidin is one of the few drugs targeting COVID-19 that has been tested in human trials for other clinical indications, providing an established safety and efficacy profile, thereby potentially enabling it to rapidly help address the emerging worldwide coronavirus crisis. Lab testing conducted at a U.S.-based Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) supports Brilacidin’s antiviral activity in directly inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 in cell-based assays. Additional pre-clinical and clinical data support Brilacidin’s therapeutic potential to inhibit the production of IL-6, IL-1b, TNF-a and other pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (e.g., MCP-1), identified as central drivers in the worsening prognoses of COVID-19 patients. Brilacidin’s antimicrobial properties might also help in fighting secondary bacterial infections, which can co-present in up to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients. Collectively, these data support Brilacidin as a promising and unique (a 3 in 1 combination: antiviral, immune/anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial) anti-COVID-19 therapeutic candidate.
For researchers and institutions interested in collaborating on Brilacidin for COVID-19, please send inquiries to: covid19@ipharminc.com