Resverlogix (RVX) has revealed new findings that suggest its Apabetalone treatment prior to COVID-19 exposure could significantly reduces viral infection.
The recent findings were published in the scientific journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This journal supports other 2020 publications and provides new evidence for the therapeutic potential of BET inhibitors in the treatment of COVID-19.
The journal highlighted the important role that host cell receptors play in enabling viral entry into cells and presented evidence that BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitors reduce COVID-19 infection by inhibiting the expression of these receptors.
The publication also acknowledged Resverlogix and its plans to confirm the hypothesis with a clinical trial utilizing its advanced BET inhibition technology.
According to the company's release, the findings are consistent with recent studies done by Resverlogix which demonstrated that apabetalone inhibits the expression of ACE2, the receptor utilized by the novel coronavirus to enter human cells.
Resverlogix is a Calgary-based late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on treating chronic illnesses. The company is developing apabetalone, a first-in-class, small molecule that is a selective BET inhibitor.
Apabetalone is an investigational, phase 3 clinical candidate with safety data in more than 4,000 subjects. It prevents specialized proteins – called bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins – from activating the expression of disease-associated and other genes, while also limiting the entry of the virus into human cells.
Resverlogix President and CEO Donald McCaffrey said Resverlogix has been working with three separate research groups each studying apabetalone in a live virus setting.
“As the only BET inhibitor with a well described clinical safety record, apabetalone is uniquely positioned as a potential therapeutic for this and future coronaviruses.”
McCaffrey said the company will proceed with a human clinical trial as soon as possible.
Resverlogix is up 1.02 per cent and is trading for C$0.99 per share as of 11:25am EST.