Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Few hospitals used an FDA approved drug – RLF-100 or aviptadil on some COVID-19 patients who were critically so ill that they could not enter FDA’s Phase 2/3 trials. The result showed that the drug led to the rapid recovery from respiratory failure in those patients. The FDA has approved the use of the drug in only some select clinical sites. It was Houston Methodist Hospital who first reported that the drug led to the rapid recovery of patients on ventilators and those with serious medical conditions after three days of treatment.

NeuroRx and Relief Therapeutics have collaborated with each other to manufacture the drug which is a formulation of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP). Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide is found in the lungs in high concentrations. They are responsible for blocking various inflammatory cytokines in the body.

NeuroRX stated, ” Independent researchers have reported that aviptadil blocked replication of the SARS coronavirus in human lung cells and monocytes.”

According to the report, a 54-year-old man suffering from COVID-19 got discharged from a ventilator within four days, while being treated for rejection of a double lung transplant. Similar results were also observed in more than 15 patients.

NeuroRX in its statement, added, “The drug appeared to have rapidly cleared pneumonitis findings on an X-ray, improved blood oxygen and a 50 per cent or greater average decrease in laboratory markers associated with COVID-19 inflammation”.

Prof. Jonathan Javitt, CEO and Chairman of NeuroRx said, “No other antiviral agent has demonstrated rapid recovery from viral infection and demonstrated laboratory inhibition of viral replication”.

And added, “We are conducting placebo-controlled trials to see whether the observations made in the case-control and open-label studies will be confirmed for less ill patients with COVID-19-related respiratory failure. Our independent Data Monitoring Committee will be conducting an interim analysis of these data later this month”.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *