Right now those in the medical world are exploring all of their options when it comes to COVID-19 and well, an aerosol-based treatment is proving to be quite interesting at the moment. This specific treatment in itself might actually be able to lower the risks of a person developing severe issues in relation to the virus.
These findings come from a smaller biotech company in the UK known as Synairgen. Basically, during clinical trials for their inhalation formula, they were able to note a 79 percent lower risk of patients developing severe disease compared to those who were given a placebo. This trial was a double-blind placebo-controlled trial that included just over 100 patients from 9 different specialist hospital sites in the UK itself. Those who got the SNG001 (inhalation formula) were more than twice as likely to recover during their treatment period in comparison to those who received the placebo.
Synairgen wrote as follows on their findings:
Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen, said: “We are all delighted with the trial results announced today, which showed that SNG001 greatly reduced the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who progressed from ‘requiring oxygen’ to ‘requiring ventilation’. It also showed that patients who received SNG001 were at least twice as likely to recover to the point where their everyday activities were not compromised through having been infected by SARS-CoV-2. In addition, SNG001 has significantly reduced breathlessness, one of the main symptoms of severe COVID-19. This assessment of SNG001 in COVID-19 patients could signal a major breakthrough in the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our efforts are now focused on working with the regulators and other key groups to progress this potential COVID-19 treatment as rapidly as possible.”
That all having been said these findings are also waiting to be peer-reviewed according to Biospace. While more research will be done on this and of course, needs to be done on this it could be a huge thing for how we treat this virus as a whole. With so many researchers working on trying to find a way to get this under control, who knows this could be the way to do it.
Biospace wrote as follows on this inhalation formula:
Synairgen spun out of Southampton University.
Interferon beta is created when cells are infected by viruses. The company uses the protein in an inhaled formulation so that it is introduced directly into the lungs of patients with COVID-19 in hopes of stimulating an immune response. It had been partnered via AstraZeneca at one time but failed a Phase II trial in asthma about three years ago and AstraZeneca returned rights back to Synairgen.
In addition to waiting for peer review of this data, the company is planning further studies, including with Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir, the only treatment approved for use for COVID-19 thus far.
When it comes to things like this, only time will tell. We have a lot to do and not much time to do it. However, these findings are mind-blowing and if they are actually as is stated, this could be a very effective means in treating those with COVID-19.