UK biotech rockets up on Covid-19 'breakthrough' for inhaled interferon beta — can its small study live up to the boast?
Interferon beta, a cytokine approved and widely used in injectable forms, surfaced very early on as a potential treatment for Covid-19. A British biotech now says its inhaled formulation of the drug helped hospitalized patients recover — and lowered their risk of doing worse.
It’s a small study involving only 101 patients and missed some endpoints, but Synairgen said the results could signal a “major breakthrough.” If true, that would also mark serious validation for a drug that AstraZeneca once licensed but eventually abandoned as an asthma therapy.
To read Endpoints News become a free subscriber
Unlock this article instantly, along with access to limited free monthly articles and our suite of newsletters