Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (LON:FARN) (NAASDAQFIRSTNORTH:FARON) has shared the peer-reviewed analysis of the effects of a drug given to severely ill patients that help explain the unexpected read-out from the company’s 2018 phase III clinical trial of its then lead drug, Traumakine.
The article in 'Intensive Care Medicine' looks at the role played by glucocorticoids when used in harness with intravenous interferon beta-1a such of the type developed by Faron.
It found the mechanism of action interferon beta-1a was blocked by glucocorticoids. Indeed, when the two were used in harness, there were increased death rates among patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome compared with those receiving interferon beta-1a on its own.
Faron chief executive, Dr Markku Jalkanen, hailed the Intensive Care Medicine article as a “crucial publication”.
He said that, for the critical care community, it detailed the important scientific detective work that has been undertaken since the unexpected readout from the company’s phase III clinical trial of its then lead drug, Traumakine for acute respiratory distress.
“It is especially important in these times when ICUs are filled with (coronavirus) COVID-19 patients, many of whom may be receiving treatment with glucocorticoids,” Jalkanen explained in a statement.
“Prior clinical data have shown that glucocorticoids are harmful in viral-induced ARDS [acute respiratory distress syndrome] and the World Health Organisation has already recommended not to use glucocorticoids in severely ill COVID-19 patients.'
“These published and peer-reviewed data give us the mechanistic reason why and the results are without dispute. The potential lung protective effects of interferon beta through upregulation of CD73, should it be endogenous or exogenous, are lost with the administration of glucocorticoids," he added.