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news.Synairgen, a respiratory drug discovery and development company with a particular focus on viral defence, has released new data from its inhaled interferon beta (IFN beta) product, SNG001, in a new model of influenza.
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The data from its new in-vitro lung re-infection model shows that SNG001 can prevent the spread of infection from cell to cell, even after an influenza infection has taken hold. Synairgen is expected to present the data at the American Thoracic Society’s International Conference (ATS) in New Orleans.
In November 2009 Synairgen stated that SNG001, delivered to the lung at the first sign of symptoms (i.e before the flu virus has taken hold in the chest), may prevent asthmatic and COPD patients from succumbing to influenza-induced exacerbations of their disease.
Synairgen has submitted a patent application to protect this discovery and is expected to seek to develop this application, including one suitable for influenza preparedness programmes, alongside its existing preventative antiviral programmes in asthma and COPD. The first of these, in asthma, commenced a Phase II trial in March 2010.
Stephen Holgate, co-founder of Synairgen, said: “This is a very exciting development. There are currently very few therapeutic options for treating patients with severe influenza other than those that target the virus itself.
“If this therapy is as broad-reaching as we think it may be, it may transform the treatment of influenza viruses especially those that become drug resistant whilst appropriate vaccines are being developed.”
Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen, said: “This is an important breakthrough in the treatment of flu virus infection rather than its prevention. This represents an exciting new development opportunity for our inhaled interferon beta product for asthma and COPD.”