Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF) described its lead asset as a potential "blockbuster" after it announced promising results from its bacterial lipopolysaccharide human challenge trial for POLB 001.
The small molecule immunomodulator is being developed to treat severe influenza and other acute inflammatory conditions.
The study involved 36 healthy volunteers, who were aged between 18 and 55.
POLB 001 was found to be safe and well-tolerated, and it had a “potent effect on systemic and localised inflammatory response” in a dose-dependent manner.
The evaluation demonstrated that POLB 001 had a highly significant reduction in p38 MAP kinase-driven cytokines.
It also exhibited a marked reduction in multiple markers of systemic and local inflammation compared with a placebo that had no medicinal impact on people taking part in the assessment.
The drug has the potential to be a blockbuster treatment for severe influenza and other acute inflammatory conditions, investors were told.
Poolbeg chief executive Jeremy Skillington said: "Together these data indicate POLB 001 reaches all cells and tissues where p38 MAPK is expressed, shutting down inflammation and silencing multiple aspects of overactivated inflammation, unlike many anti-inflammatory drugs that target a single immune pathway.
“POLB 001 blocks inflammation both locally and systemically and in a manner that suggests efficacy in treating life-threatening infections such as severe influenza or the CRS associated with other acute inflammatory conditions.
"POLB 001 has the potential to be an effective treatment in a wide range of inflammatory syndromes that present serious and life-threatening complications for patients."