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Noxopharm (ASX:NOX) extends COVID-19 drug program after positive results

Health Care
ASX:NOX      MCAP $18.70M
23 August 2021 09:40 (AEST)
Noxopharm (ASX:NOX) - Chief Medical Officer, Gisela Mautner

Source: Noxopharm

Noxopharm (NOX) is planning to extend the trials of its COVID-19 treatment after receiving positive preliminary results from its phase one clinical trial.

The drug-development company recently tested its anti-inflammatory drug on COVID-19 patients with moderate versions of the virus.

The goal was to see whether Veyonda could stop patients’ conditions worsening by suppressing a self-harming inflammatory response to damaged lung tissue without compromising a protective immune response.

NOX said that pleasingly, 37 of the 38 patients who were tested using the drug completed their treatment and were discharged.

Only one patient had to be ventilated after their COVID-19 symptons worsened and this patient later died from the virus.

Noxopharm CEO and Managing Director Graham Kelly said the results were very encouraging.

“No major safety issues were identified in the trial, and the recovery of 37 of 38 patients rated as having moderate disease requiring hospitalization and supplementary oxygen for the majority of patients, can be described as highly encouraging,” Dr Kelly said.

The MD added that Veyonda could be used both in-hospital and as outpatient management.

“Our target patients are those with a moderate degree of pneumonia experiencing breathing difficulties,” Dr Kelly said.

“Behind this pneumonia is an inappropriately excessive inflammatory response to the presence of the virus in the lungs.

“The objective is to use Veyonda to dampen that inflammatory response before it escalates to the point of triggering an even greater inflammatory response that can go on to cause even more widespread tissue damage.”

Following the positive preliminary results, Noxopharm is now in discussion for the treatment to be used in funded clinical trial platforms.

The company is also expecting the full data from the phase one clinical trial to be released in the coming weeks.

Shares in Noxopharm were trading up 6.31 per cent at 59 cents per share at 11:28 am AEST.

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