Shares in e-therapeutics PLC (LON:ETX) jumped 11% after it said it was gauging interest in its rapid screening technology as the pharma industry works to find an effective vaccine against coronavirus (COVID-19).
Its “in silico”, or computer simulation platform has successfully found active compounds capable of protecting human cells in influenza.
The firm, therefore, believes the same strategies could be used to identify combinations of compounds with “useful activity” against Sars-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19.
Crucially, these would be drugs already approved, and on the market, shortening the regulatory timeline and alleviating worries over potential side-effects.
Screening using the company’s simulation technology would take weeks rather than months or years and e-therapeutics has already made a start to trying to find a cocktail of current treatments that work on the coronavirus.
However, in order to test its hypotheses, the firm said it would require help from companies with assays for Sars-CoV-2.
And, it added, the process would benefit from “additional experimental work”.
“We have therefore begun business development efforts across the pharmaceutical industry to gauge interest in making such capacity available collaboratively for the greater good,” the e-therapeutics said in a statement.
“We would ask that any potential partner reading this release, whether industrial, governmental or academic, that has complementary resources and expertise to make contact with us to explore ways in which we can progress.”
The shares rose 0.77 to 7.77p.
Potential partners can view ETX’s influenza report by clicking this link
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