Synairgen PLC (LON:SNG) said it is presenting data at an industry conference gleaned from a phase II study of its inhaled interferon beta treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The drug is being developed to treat people with COPD that are suffering exacerbations caused by cold or flu.
The biomarker data has been taken from part-one of the study, in which patients were treated when they did not have a cold or flu infection.
Analysis of samples from the lung showed treatment with inhaled interferon beta boosted the lungs' antiviral defences.
As a result, Synairgen is now more confident of a positive result from part-two, when patients do have a confirmed respiratory virus infection.
The company’s chief scientific officer, Dr Phillip Monk, will deliver the update on Sunday (Sept 29) to the European Respiratory Society International Congress being held in Madrid.