Innovation Pharma’s COVID-19 Drug Candidate Brilacidin Ranked in Top Three Percent of Compounds Predicted to Be Most Effective Against SARS-CoV-2
03/10/2021 - 07:30 AM
WAKEFIELD, Mass., March 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (“the Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, is pleased to report today that a Machine Learning (Artificial Intelligence) model used to screen 1,482 compounds ranked Brilacidin in the top three percent of compounds predicted to be the most effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Published in Bioinformatics , by Oxford University Press, the Machine Learning ranking is based on a compound’s predicted ability, due to its physicochemical properties, to bind to coronavirus proteins and thus inhibit viral replication. The predictive framework used in this research was built by assessing the structure of the main proteins of almost 100 different viral organisms, making the model generalizable to multiple viruses, according to the study’s authors.
The Company is highly encouraged by this independent research suggesting Brilacidin may be one of the best drug candidates capable of attacking and destroying SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses, while mitigating or averting the threat of drug resistance developing.
The world has recently seen several clinical trial failures of highly touted treatments against the backdrop of new highly contagious and more virulent COVID-19 variants emerging, including the P1 strain in Brazil. P1, which has been proven extremely adept at re-infecting people, has quickly resulted in Brazilian hospitals being overwhelmed by a deluge of new and repeat cases. This situation has given rise to fears that P1 could cause similar outbreaks should it become widespread in other countries, as reported in yesterday’s Washington Post in an article titled, “Brazil’s growing coronavirus outbreak poses a threat far beyond its borders.”
As described by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, in a recent White House briefing , new variants are “a very real threat to our people and our progress,” with the spread of highly contagious coronavirus variants threatening to fuel a "potential fourth surge of cases.” This further lends to the urgency to expeditiously develop novel, broad spectrum antiviral medications to combat the pandemic plaguing the planet for over one year now.
A link to the corresponding independent peer-reviewed article in Bioinformatics Updates section of the Company’s website.
Mall, R.; Elbasir, A.; Almeer, H.; et al (2021). A Modelling Framework for Embedding-based Predictions for Compound-Viral Protein Activity. Bioinformatics , btab130, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btab130 (Published: 26 February 2021) A separate independent peer-reviewed in silico screening study of 11,552 compounds comprising already FDA-approved drugs and those in clinical testing, as previously released , also identified Brilacidin as one of the most promising potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.
These two studies complement a growing body of antiviral data—notably, positive pre-clinical Brilacidin testing results against SARS-CoV-2 in multiple cell lines and in different coronavirus strains—supporting Brilacidin’s treatment potential in COVID-19.
Innovation Pharma has initiated a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial of Brilacidin for treatment of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in hospitalized patients (see NCT04784897 ).
“It is a rewarding moment for me, as one of the discoverers of Brilacidin, to see Brilacidin continue to receive validation as a promising antiviral treatment—based both on in silico molecular modeling studies and lab research,” commented William F. DeGrado, PhD, Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and Scientific Advisor for Innovation Pharma. “COVID-19 is, in all likelihood, here to stay. Bringing to market effective coronavirus therapeutics with novel mechanisms less prone to drug resistance developing due to mutations, a characteristic Brilacidin is exhibiting, will be important as the world combats this infectious and deadly virus. I look forward to seeing how Brilacidin performs in its Phase 2 trial in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and am hopeful Brilacidin will emerge as an effective antiviral, with added beneficial immunomodulatory properties.”
Brilacidin COVID-19 Clinical Trial
Brilacidin and COVID-19 Viruses supporting Brilacidin’s COVID-19 treatment potential can be accessed at the link below.
Bakovic, A.; Risner, K.; Bhalla, N. (et al). Brilacidin Demonstrates Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 in Cell Culture. Viruses 2021 , 13 , 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020271https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/2/271 Global COVID-19 Cases and Mortality http://www.ipharminc.com ), and at the following link:https://ipixcovid19tracker.com/
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About Innovation Pharmaceuticals www.IPharmInc.com .
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning future drug development plans, statements regarding the antiviral capabilities and therapeutic potential of Brilacidin and its impact on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and other coronaviruses, as well as government regulatory approvals to continue clinical testing. Other statements regarding future product developments, and markets, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks but not limited to risks related to conducting pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and seeking regulatory and licensing approvals for Brilacidin and Kevetrin in the US and other jurisdictions; that pre-clinical laboratory studies and prior test results may not be replicated in future studies and trials, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Company’s actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. The Company has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “estimates,” “looks,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “goal,” “potential,” “may,” “suggest,” and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are the Company’s need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock under securities purchase agreements; the fact that the Company’s licensee(s) may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing and the Company will not receive milestone payments, or the fact that the Company’s compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation.
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