Subjects to severe diseases caused by viral infection
Expected to be effective against mutant viruses
Aptabio(72,500 +14.90%)Announced on the 6th that it has applied to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a phase 2 clinical trial of the COVID-19 treatment candidate’APX-115′.
APX-115 is a candidate material based on Aptabio’s NOX inhibitor discovery platform technology for the treatment of diabetes complications. Currently, a phase 2 clinical trial in Europe is underway with diabetic nephropathy as an indication. The related mechanism is explained that many foreign research papers have received attention as being effective in treating COVID-19. Aptabio has continued research after confirming that APX-115 is effective in treating COVID-19 in a cell experiment conducted last year. APX-115 confirmed that there were no issues of stability and side effects through phase 1 clinical trials in Europe, and said it was possible to enter phase 2 clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment.
APX-115 acts as a targeting mechanism for endosomes. By inhibiting the enzyme’NOX2′ in the endosome and inhibiting activated oxygen (ROS), it blocks the movement of viruses through the endosome. It is expected to be a countermeasure against mutant viruses because it blocks viral mutation.
If the Phase 2 clinical trial is approved, the trial will begin on 80 patients at 12 hospitals in the United States. Unlike other urgently approved antiviral drugs and antibody treatments, which are tested on patients who have just been diagnosed, APX-115 includes patients within 14 days of diagnosis, the company said. Through this, in addition to viral symptoms, the effect of treatment on complications such as inflammation and fibrosis will be verified.
In addition, it is planned to be developed as a capsule-type edible drug, not an injection, to increase the convenience of patient administration.
According to a paper by a research team at Loyola University in Chicago, USA, which was recently published in the journal’Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology’, NOX, which acts on the endosome, is essential for the replication of the Corona 19 virus. Activated oxygen induced by NOX2 causes high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which are severe diseases caused by Corona 19, and NOX2 was found to be an important biomarker (biomarker).
Aptabio official said, “NOX control will be a key in clinical treatment for COVID-19 patients, and will be a new target treatment method for patients with severe diseases.” , It will speed up phase 2 clinical trials in the US.”
Reporter Minsoo Han [email protected]
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