Valeo Pharma says its Hesperco capsules at core of Montreal Heart Institute's clinical trial to evaluate hesperidin on coronavirus symptoms

Valeo Pharma Inc (CSE:VPH) (OTCQB:VPHIF) (FRA:VP2) and its development partner Ingenew Pharma Inc announced Wednesday that its Hesperco capsules will be at the core of the Montreal Heart Institute’s (MHI) clinical trial called ‘The Hesperidin Coronavirus Study’.

The company said the MHI’s study will evaluate the effect of hesperidin on coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms and its ability to reduce disease severity and the need for hospitalization in patients with COVID-19. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will enroll 216 confirmed COVID-19 symptomatic patients.

The Hesperco capsules have been approved by Health Canada for immune support and contain hesperidin.  

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“The immune support properties of hesperidin, the medicinal ingredient contained in HESPERCO capsules, and its efficacy against other coronavirus strains are well documented in scientific literature,” said Valeo Pharma CEO Steve Saviuk in a statement.

“We are extremely proud to contribute in the fight against the COVID-19 virus with the prestigious MHI and our development partner Ingenew. Our involvement in this study aligns well with our vision to build a Canadian anchor pharmaceutical company and continued commitment to provide Canadian healthcare professionals and patients with innovative solutions to improve quality of life.”

Valeo Pharma said that Ingenew’s scientists performed an extensive scientific literature review and analysis revealing that hesperidin was one of the few, among hundreds of, chemical entities that have been screened to effectively interfere/hinder with two key proteins of SARS-CoV-2 necessary to infect cells - suggesting hesperidin could disrupt the replication rate of the virus.

“Although hesperidin can be found in lower concentration in citrus fruits or some natural health products, a much higher hesperidin concentration, such as the one found in Hesperco, is required to achieve therapeutic benefits,” said Pierre Laurin, CEO of Ingenew.

“With its well-documented anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity, hesperidin may also provide further protection to the infected subjects by reducing the COVID-19-induced cytokine storm (severe inflammatory response) observed in severe cases. Combined with its safety profile and immune-modulatory activity, hesperidin potentially represents one of the most promising molecules for potentially treating any stage of the COVID-19 infection.”

Valeo Pharma said that the Hesperco capsules will soon be available in major health care retailers across the country and are available now for online ordering through www.hesperco.com and www.amazon.ca.

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Story by ProactiveInvestors