Coronavirus, Most promising treatment so far

Well, probably. Synairgen's SNG001, Interferon beta

£21.29 per injection

Interferon beta

Naturally occurring antiviral protein

Cytokine

Interfere with viral replication

Induce fever and muscle pains (along with other cytokines)

Activate immune cells, natural killer cells and macrophages

Reduces protein synthesis in adjacent cells

Activates an enzyme to destroy RNA, further reducing protein synthesis

Stimulates many other interferon-stimulated genes

Stimulates infected cells into apoptosis

Key component of human immune defence against viral infection

Phase 2 study

Inhaled interferon beta

Gives high local concentrations

Placebo controlled

n = 101 hospitalised patients

All patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2

9 UK hospitals

Diabetics

Treatment group = 9

Placebo group = 3

Cardiovascular disease

Treatment group = 5

Placebo group = 8

Now recruiting patients ill with COVID-19 in the community

Results

79% reduction in risk of developing severe disease

Requiring ventilation or resulting in death

During the treatment period

Day one to day 16

This difference was also noted to day 28

Patients who received SNG001 were more than twice as likely to recover

Defined as ‘no limitation of activities’ or ‘no clinical or virological evidence of infection’

Measure of breathlessness, markedly reduced

In patients with more severe disease at time of admission

SNG001 increased the likelihood of hospital discharge during the study

Six days versus nine days for those receiving placebo (not significant difference)

More than twice as likely to have recovered by the end of the treatment period (strong

trend)

Safety

6% died after being randomised to placebo

No deaths in the SNG001 group

Professor Tom Wilkinson

Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Southampton

Trial chief investigator

Huge potential

To be able to restore the lung’s immune response

Enhancing protection

Accelerating recovery

Countering the impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus

Professor Stephen Holgate

Medical Research Council

Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton

Restores the lung’s ability to neutralise the virus

or any mutation of the virus

or co-infection with another respiratory virus such as influenza

Relationship with dexamethasone and remdesivir

Study did not include patients requiring ventilatory support