- Arch Biopartners (TSXV:ARCH) has released a video, showing its lead drug candidate, Metablok, preventing lung inflammation in mice
- Two weeks ago, the company announced the safely completed dosing for the Phase I trial of Metablok in humans
- Arch Biopartners is now planning a Phase II human trial, targeting lung inflammation in COVID-19 patients
- In the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine, a treatment for lung inflammation could reduce ICU admissions, ventilator demand, and fatalities
- Arch Biopartners’ share price is currently trading for $0.88 per share
Biotechnology company Arch Biopartners (TSXV:ARCH) has released a video, showing its lead drug candidate, Metablok, preventing lung inflammation in mice.
Specifically, the animal testing trial induced a state of lung tissue inflammation in the mice, using lipopolysaccharides (LPS).
In the mice of the control group, neutrophils gathered in the area, as expected. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell, and the hallmark of acute inflammation.
In the mice treated with Metablok, neutrophils were not able to recruit to blood vessels in the lungs. As a result, the lung inflammation was greatly reduced.
Encouraged by these promising results in mice, Arch Biopartners is progressinng its Metablok trials in humans. Two weeks ago, the company announced the safe completion of Metablok dosing in its Phase I human trial.
Arch Biopartners is now planning the start of a Phase II human trial, targeting lung inflammation in COVID-19 patients. The company hopes to start Phase II by summer of this year.
Vaccines for diseases can take years, even decades to successfully invent, test, and produce en masse for human populations. Despite this, scientists are hopeful that a COVID-19 vaccine can be ready for human application in 12 to 18 months.
In the meantime, and in the absence of a vaccine, drugs like Metablok may be the next best thing.
If Metablok can successfully treat COVID-related lung inflammation in humans, it could have a variety of positive impacts. This would include reducing the number of patients admitted to ICU’s, reducing the demand for ventilators, and reducing fatalities.
Arch Biopartners’ CEO, Richard Muruve, said the company was impressed with its workers’ rapid progress to date.
“Normally, a human trial takes several months or longer to prepare. In this unusual and challenging time, we are working to organise a Phase II human trial in a matter of weeks,” he revealed.
Arch Biopartners’ share price is currently trading for $0.88 per share, as of 9:45am EST.