Algernon Pharmaceuticals mulls lung scarring as additional endpoint for Phase 2b/3 coronavirus trial of Ifenprodil

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc (CSE:AGN) (FRA:AGW) (OTCQB:AGNPF) is evaluating the protocol for its Phase 2b/3 study of Ifenprodil for coronavirus (COVID-19), to consider adding lung scarring as an additional endpoint if enough data is available, the company announced Wednesday. 

When the company drafted its original Phase 2b/3 protocol in April 2020, post-hospital release lung scarring had not been established as a major problem with recovering COVID-19 patients, so it was not included. 

Each hospital that participated in the study followed their own standard of care protocol for releasing a patient, the company said. That means that while most hospitals X-ray a COVID-19 patient’s lung upon admission, only some would do so again before release. 

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“If we determine that X-rays were taken on release of a meaningful number of our treated patients, and Ifenprodil is showing a reduction in the amount of scarring post-infection, this would be an extremely important discovery for us,” CEO Christopher Moreau said in a statement. “If this is confirmed in the planned Phase 3 portion of the study, it would mean that Ifenprodil could be used to treat patients who have survived COVID-19 but are suffering from lung damage.”

There is a need for such a treatment, according to a recent Oxford University study, which found that 60% of COVID-19 patients had scarring or inflammation in their lungs three months after clearing the virus.

Ifenprodil is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist specifically targeting the NMDA-type subunit 2B (Glu2NB) and prevents glutamate signalling. The NMDA receptor is found on many tissues including lung cells, T-cells, and neutrophils.

When neutrophils and T-cells infiltrate the lungs, they can cause what is called a cytokine storm, a hyperactive immune response that can contribute to a loss of lung function and in some cases death.

Contact Andrew Kessel at [email protected]

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Story by ProactiveInvestors