Our Science
OVERVIEW
- Respiratory infections are a global health problem causing a significant amount of mortality and morbidity in individuals of all ages
- Limited, poorly effective treatments are currently available for known infections
- There continues to be emerging drug resistance and viral mutations rendering antibodies and vaccines less effective
- High probability for virus outbreaks
- Protection from all respiratory virus infections is required
- Economic cost to healthcare systems is high
- Economic cost of work absences and overall supply chain disruptions
- Social cost of lost productivity across all age groups impacting physical and mental health
STATUS
- Prevention of lung disease in SARS patients
- Inhibition of avian flu and pandemic H1N1 replication in human lung explants
- Accelerated virus clearance, absence of inflammation and reduced lung abnormalities in SARS CoV-2 infected cases
- Prophylactic treatment of uninfected, SARS CoV-2 exposed contacts protected from infection — most significantly when exposed to an infected individual with a high viral burden
PREVENTING OUTBREAKS
- Transform the respiratory virus infection drug market from “treatment to cure” to “protection via prophylactic intervention” for known and newly emerging, unknown viruses
- Disrupt and move beyond more traditional approaches of vaccines and pathogen-targeted therapeutics
- Learn from our innate immune system
- Establish a virus-agnostic strategy
- Block transmission from infected individuals
REGULATORY PATHWAY – low risk, expedited
- Informal discussions with Health Canada ongoing re extent of pre-clinical data and clinical data required for intranasal administration in healthy individuals
- Protocols for Phase 1 and 2/3 trials in place
Clinical trial strategy:
- Phase 0 – 9 healthy volunteers
- Phase 1 – 30 healthy volunteers
- Phase 2/3 – 300 healthy volunteers
SCIENTIFIC ENDORSEMENTS
