NanoViricides (NYSE-A:NNVC) has released a slew of new data supporting the safety and ultra-broad antiviral activity of its investigational therapeutic NV-387.
The company has recently released data from animal studies which shows that NV-387 shows strong antiviral activity against the “tripledemic” viruses - coronaviruses, RSV and influenza A viruses, including the Bird Flu H5N1 virus.
In a lethal animal model of lung infection by Influenza A/H3N2 virus, NV-387 demonstrated “substantially superior antiviral effects” compared to three approved anti-influenza drugs, Oseltamivir, Peramivir, and Baloxivir.
NV-387 was also shown to be effective against the orthopoxvirus family of viruses, which include Smallpox and Mpox, in both inhalation and skin abrasion modes of transmission.
In a lethal animal model of lung infection by the Ectromelia virus, a model for Smallpox and Mpox infection in humans, NV-387 led to an increase in the mice’s lifespan comparable to oral treatment with approved Smallpox drug tecovirimat.
NanoViricides (NYSE-A:NNVC) CEO Dr Anil Diwan joined Proactive to discuss the new data and the next steps for NV-387.
Proactive: It’s been a busy week for the company. You’ve released some updates related to NV-387. Can you get us up to date?
Anil Diwan: We have completed the Phase 1 clinical trials for NV-387 in healthy subjects with no adverse events, which means it’s really safe and can go into Phase 2. We have developed the drug as a broad-spectrum antiviral and we have been working on how many different viruses we can treat.
One we have tried is RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, which can be severe in infants and older patients and there is no treatment for it. We will be advancing NV-387 into Phase 2 for RSV. That’s our next step. Now that we’ve covered coronaviruses and RSV, the last left of the tripledemic is influenza. So, we tested NV-387 in an influenza animal model and were surprised when it was shown to be much better in the animal model than the existing approved drugs, three different drugs. Our drug was superior in extending survival and that extension of survival is a clear definition that it is better.
Let’s talk about the broad spectrum aspect of this, for example it’s activity against Smallpox since that’s an important part governments would be looking at.
They should. One of the reasons we went into Smallpox is because there was a pandemic last year. There’s only one drug approved, tecovirimat, and it is well-known that drug can be escaped by the virus with a single mutation. So, there was always that threat that if that pandemic expanded, the drug would lose effectiveness over a period of time.
We did a study in Smallpox. We used tecovirimat as the positive control and our drug was very good. When the two drugs were given together, there was an improved effect, which is expected because they work differently. So, now we think we have a very good drug and the potential for developing a new drug against Smallpox.
So what’s the timing of getting this drug into a clinical trial?
We cannot really predict that because it’s regulatory work. That will define the timelines. It’s not us, we are ready.
Quotes have been edited for clarity and style