- Immutep’s (IMM) phase two Eftilagimod Alpha Treatment COVID (EAT COVID) study will soon advance to enrolment ahead of the randomised portion
- Up to 110 COVID-19 patients will participate in the study which is being undertaken at the University Hospital Pilsen in the Czech Republic
- Immutep will provide its lead product candidate, eftilagimod alpha, or efti, at no cost to the hospital
- In addition to their standard of care, the patients will receive three 10 milligram efti injections on three separate days
- The trial is aimed at improving the patient’s immune response to prevent COVID-19 symptoms from getting worse
- Company shares are up 4.82 per cent and are trading at 43.5 cents
Immutep (IMM) has announced its phase two Eftilagimod Alpha Treatment COVID (EAT COVID) study will advance with enrolment towards the randomised portion.
This follows the completion of a review by an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of the first six patients from Immutep’s phase two clinical trial. These patients received three 10 milligram efti injections and no adverse reactions have been reported.
The DSMB recommended the advancement of the EAT COVID study which is evaluating Immutep’s lead product candidate, eftilagimod alpha in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. The study is aimed at improving the patient’s immune response to prevent COVID-19 symptoms from getting worse.
The University Hospital Pilsen in the Czech Republic is funding the EAT COVID study and Immutep has agreed to provide the drug at no cost to the hospital.
“Sadly, hospitals and doctors in the Czech Republic are increasingly overwhelmed and are facing severe challenges treating the high volume of patients with COVID-19,” Principal Investigator Professor Martin Matejovic said.
“There continues to be a significant need to develop therapeutics like efti to treat COVID-19 in patients with an insufficient immune response to overcome the viral spread. In the case of the EAT COVID study, efti is injected subcutaneously at close intervals, every three days,” Immutep Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Medical Officer Dr Frédéric Triebel said.
The phase two trial will be a placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blinded trial which will involve up to 110 COVID-19 patients who are hospitalised at the University Hospital Pilsen.
In addition to their standard of care at the hospital, these patients will receive 10 milligram efti injections on days one, two, and seven. On day 15, their clinical status will be evaluated.
The results of the EAT COVID trial will provide insights into how efti could potentially treat other acute infectious diseases.
Company shares are up 4.82 per cent and are trading at 43.5 cents at 12:10 pm AEDT.