COVID-19

Texas A&M, MD Anderson Scientists Testing Inhaled Therapeutic To Protect Against COVID-19

The Food and Drug Administration has approved two human clinical trials for the drug.
By Alyssa Gafford-Gaby, Texas A&M University Innovation Partners July 8, 2020

portrait of magnus hook in lab
Pulmotect, co-founded by Texas A&M Regents Professor Magnus Hӧӧk, is testing a drug that could be used to protect against lung infections.

Texas A&M Health Science Center

 

Scientists from Texas A&M University, biopharmaceutical company Pulmotect and MD Anderson Cancer Center will be testing a lung inhalant drug that could provide short-term immunity against COVID-19.

Houston-based company Pulmotect was founded by Magnus Hӧӧk, regents professor at the Texas A&M Health Institute of Biosciences and Technology, and Dr. Burton Dickey, chair of the pulmonary department at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Pulmotect is developing the drug, PUL-042, which could be delivered as an aerosol for short-term protection against lung infections caused by several viruses, bacteria and fungi.

PUL-042 has had limited human testing, and has not shown any serious side effects. Hӧӧk said the drug is unique because it can protect against pneumonia caused by a variety of different microbes, but is most effective against viruses.

“PUL-042 activates a component of the immune system, but it’s not the adaptive immune system that we are used to talking about — the drug targets the innate immune system,” Hӧӧk said. “We don’t need to know what the virus is, we don’t have to have knowledge of the molecules that make up the virus, which you have to have to start making your vaccine that will hopefully provide longer and stronger protection. The uniqueness is that with all conventional vaccines you have to have a lot of other knowledge of the virus, but here you don’t. It attacks all of the viruses that we have tried, most bacteria, and even some fungi.”

PUL-042 is composed of two small synthetic molecules, and works by stimulating specific innate immune receptors in the lung lining within minutes. Hӧӧk said it is believed the drug will be effective in protecting against COVID-19 since animal data shows it protects against other coronaviruses such as MERS and SARS. PUL-042 protection only lasts for approximately three to five days, but is able to be repeatedly administered every third or fourth day.

Pulmotect was approved to begin two human clinical trials by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as of May 5. One of the trials focuses on COVID-19 prevention, and the other is being tested as a treatment, according to the FDA website. The prevention trial will include 200 participants who will be administered four doses of either PUL-042 or a placebo over a 10-day period and will be monitored for 28 days.

“Subjects who have documented exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) will receive four doses of PUL-042 Inhalation Solution or four doses of a placebo solution by inhalation over 10 days,” the study website states. “Subjects will be followed for the incidence and severity of COVID-19 over 28 days. Subjects will be tested for infection with SARS-CoV-2 at the beginning, middle and end of the study.”

The treatment trial will be conducted with 100 infected participants who do not need supplemental oxygen. These participants will be administered three doses of PUL-042 over a week.

“Adults who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and who do not require supplemental oxygen will receive PUL-042 Inhalation Solution or placebo three times over a one-week period in addition to their normal care,” the FDA website says. “Subjects will be be followed and assessed for their clinical status over 28 days to see if PUL-042 Inhalation Solution improves the clinical outcome.”

Both trials are currently in phase II. The next phase depends on the results of the current trials. Pulmotect is currently focusing on how to fund phase III, if it is able to move forward with the next step in the FDA trials.

“The next step depends on the outcome of these trials,” Hӧӧk said. “If these trials are successful, one would presumably produce large numbers of doses and make it available in the phase III. Phase III will give much clearer results on how effective it is. That’s also where the funding issue becomes very important to solve, which is something the company is focusing on now.”

According to the FDA Clinical Trial Website, both trials are estimated to complete phase II by October 2020.

Intellectual property arising from Hӧӧk’s innovations is managed through the Texas A&M University Innovation Partners office.

This article by Alyssa Gafford-Gaby originally appeared on Vital Record.

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