PharmaDrug Inc. (CSE:BUZZ) (OTCMKTS:LMLLF) CEO Daniel Cohen and CSO Paul Van Slyke tell Proactive the group has has initiated preparation of a pre-investigational new drug application for its patented enteric-coated formulation of cepharanthine (PD-001), an oral antiviral pill to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus.
Cohen says while vaccination programs aimed at controlling the impact of COVID-19 have proceeded at an unprecedented pace, there remains an urgent need for additional antiviral therapies for COVID-19 and future coronavirus outbreaks. Van Slyke says cepharanthine has now been shown to be highly effective at blocking cell death following exposure to multiple different coronaviruses.