Algernon Pharmaceuticals has announced the submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application of its drug, NP-120 for COVID-19. 

The company has submitted the IND with the US FDA for its planned multinational Phase 2b/3 study of its repurposed drug NP-120 (Ifenprodil) for the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19. The drug – NP-120 – is an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NDMA) receptor glutamate receptor antagonist and an orally delivered small molecule, originally developed by Sanofi and is approved to treat peripheral circulatory disorders. 

The clinical trial for the drug – A Randomized Open-Label Phase 2b/3 Study of the Safety and Efficacy of NP-120 (Ifenprodil) for the Treatment of Confirmed COVID-19 Infected Hospitalized Patients – for which Algernon has already received clearance in Canada and has also filed for ethics approval in Australia.

The drug is believed to reduce the infiltration of neutrophils and T-cells into the lungs where they release glutamate and cytokines respectively, which result in cytokine storm that leads to the loss of lung function and ultimately death as has been reported in COVID-19 infected patients. 

4DMedical has received the FDA recommendation for its XV Technology, a respiratory diagnostic tool for lung illnesses amidst COVID-19. 

4DMedical’s XV Technology is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) diagnostic tool, which is available through a secure cloud subscription and can be used by utilizing available infrastructure without any extra capital expenditure or training. Imaging departments simply electronically send an X-ray (using existing fluoroscopy equipment) to 4DMedical, and its ventilation reports will prove essential in providing quantitative support for diagnosis and follow up examinations for patients with or recovering from COVID-19.

The technology, company believes, would be beneficial to a patient suffering from lung disorders in the treatment of illnesses such as COVID-19, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer

SaNOtize Research and Development Corporation has announced the start of multi-centre Phase II trial of its Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution (NORSTM) for preventing COVID-19. 

The company plans to enrol 210 individuals, including those who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or are at high risk of getting infected, such as front-line healthcare workers or caretakers of the patients. 

SaNOtize’s Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution (NORSTM) was able to inactivate more than 99.9% of COVID-19 causing virus, SARs-CoV-2, within two minutes, in laboratory tests. The company is also testing nitric oxide (NO), a naturally occurring nano molecule, as a first-in-class drug as a topical antimicrobial agent to treat a wide variety of bacterial, viral and fungal diseases, including COVID-19.

NORSTM has already received US and EU patents and is a testing ready-to-use, inexpensive and rapidly-scalable applications delivered through gargle solutions, nasal spray and nasal lavage.

Poxel, a biopharmaceutical company devoted to making innovative treatments for metabolic disease, has successfully raised Euro 17,7 Million in a capital increase. 

Poxel is focused on developing therapies for metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and has three drug candidates in its armamentarium in mid-to-late stages of trials. 

The company plans to use the proceeds to advance the trials of its drug candidates into further phases of trials including PXL770 and PXL065 for the treatment of NASH. It awaits the results of PXL770 PK/PD study and of an ongoing Phase 2a clinical trial as well as the to start the PXL065 Phase 2 study for the treatment of NASH. Moreover, Poxel is also planning to explore other metabolic diseases through AMPK activator and deuterated thiazolidinedione platforms.