InteliSpark client, CytoAgents, wins a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, via the Small Business Innovation Research program, to assess the potential of a new drug (GP1681) in reducing the duration and severity of COVID-19.
According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has infected 120 million people around the world, resulting in 2.6 million deaths. Vaccine administration began at the end of 2020 but issues with cost, supply and distribution may delay getting the virus under control. The emergence of new variants of COVID-19 that are more severe and contagious could also prevent countries in managing the virus.
While a majority of COVID-19 cases are mild, 14% are severe, requiring hospitalization and 5% require intensive care. Severity of viral diseases and negative health outcomes is often associated with hypercytokinemia, a severe immune reaction that may be life-threatening and lead to multiple-organ failure.
CytoAgents has submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA, and NIH-funded preclinical studies of this drug in treating influenza-related hypercytokinemia are underway. Researchers believe that the promise it has shown in treating severe flu cases may also be applicable in treating severe cases of COVID-19. With no expectation that COVID-19 will disappear any time soon, finding innovative therapeutics to treat severe cases is imperative to saving lives and reducing the immense pressure on healthcare systems. Dr. Jodi Craigo, Chief Science Officer at CytoAgents, will lead this project in assessing the efficacy in reducing the duration and severity of COVID-19.