Project description
Testing new drug solnatide IMP in COVID-19 patients
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has turned into a pandemic with millions of infected individuals worldwide. Patients suffer from severe respiratory failure and a life-threatening pulmonary oedema (PPO) that leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in 30 % of the cases. The EU-funded SOLNATIDE project aims to test the novel drug solnatide IMP in COVID-19 patients. Solnatide has already been tested in one Phase I and in two Phase II clinical studies for the treatment of ARDS. Given the lack of available drugs for treating patients infected with the new coronavirus, solnatide constitutes a promising solution for tackling the exacerbated pulmonary manifestations of the virus.
Objective
Clinical features of patients infected with the 2019-nCoV have revealed that these patients suffer from severe respiratory failure, and presence of a life-threatening pulmonary oedema (PPO). Approx. 30% of 2019-nCoV-patients further develop life-threatening Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Mortality rate of these patients is very high.
Initiator and Scientific Coordinator of the project, APEPTICO, is a SME biotechnology company (EMEA/SME/012/09) developing peptide-based products targeting life-threatening pulmonary diseases, including oedematous respiratory failure, acute lung injury, primary graft dysfunction, high altitude pulmonary oedema and PHA type 1.
APEPTICO’s lead-compound Solnatide (INN) has been designed for the therapeutic treatment of patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and various forms of life-threatening Pulmonary Oedema (PPO). Orally inhaled Solnatide has delivered clinical proof-of-concept in one Phase I, and in two Phase II clinical studies (EUDRACT No. 2011-000223-33, 2012-001863-64, 2013-000716-21).
Today, no medicine has been approved for the therapeutic treatment of Pulmonary Permeability Oedema and ARDS.
Currently, Solnatide is subject to a Phase IIB trial (EUDRACT No. 2017-003855-47) for the “treatment of pulmonary permeability oedema in patients with ARDS”. The Phase IIB clinical trial has been approved by the German and the Austrian Competent Authorities, as well by Ethic Committees of leading Medical University Hospitals in Germany as well Austria.
Most recently, APEPTICO has entered into a partnership with HAISCO Pharmaceutical Group in Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China. HAISCO has access to core areas and leading Medical University Hospitals in the P.R. China.
Accordingly, APEPTICO proposes to immediately apply the Solnatide IMP for the treatment of patients infected with the 2019-nCoV and to demonstrate safety, tolerability and clinical efficacy of Solnatide IMP in 2019-nCoV patients.
The overall project coordination and external communications is by RTDS Association (www.rtds-group.com/association)
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
1080 Wien
Austria
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.