Tel Aviv, Israel/Thebilt, Netherlands–(news wire) September 03, 2021 — Dutch pharmaceutical company Code Pharma has announced that it is developing a drug with a direct antiviral effect against COVID-19.
After successful completion of the Phase 1 study, Phase 2 double-blind controlled trials have been initiated in Spain, Brazil, South Africa and Israel.
Codivir is a 16-amino acid short synthetic peptide derived from HIV-1 integrase, first discovered by researchers at the Hebrew University of Israel. Code Pharma has determined that the peptide has a direct antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. In vitro studies conducted by Virology Research Services, London, UK, also demonstrated antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses.
The Brazilian National Research Ethics Committee (CONEP) has since approved a Phase 1 clinical trial of Codivir in patients with COVID-19.
The clinical trial was conducted at the Veracruz Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, and Dr. Florentino Cardoso participated as the research director. As a result of clinical trials, Codivir showed a high level of safety profile, and antiviral and viral replication inhibitory effects were found within 3 days at the earliest in the majority of patients who completed the evaluation. All patients had a rapid recovery after Codivir prescription, and no frequent side effects were found after COVID-19 infection. Papers documenting clinical trial results have been submitted to peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Yotam Kolben and Dr. Asa Kesler, PhDs. Dr. Yotam Kolben and Dr. Asa Kesler, who belonged to the Department of Pharmacy at Hadassah Medical Center, said, “Preclinical data and clinical trial results confirm the safety of Codivir in the human body and suggest a significant level of suppression of COVID-19. . A direct antiviral effect could improve existing COVID-19 treatments.”
The results of this study confirm the potential of Codivir as a therapeutic agent for patients with COVID-19 of various severity. Since Codivir has a direct antiviral effect, a similar effect can be expected for other RNA viruses such as influenza.
After successfully completing the Phase 1 study, Code Pharma is currently conducting large-scale, double-blind, controlled trials in Spain, Brazil, South Africa and Israel. Previously, Code Pharma submitted an urgent approval request to a number of countries in consideration of the global pandemic situation. As high demand is expected, many sites around the world are preparing for mass production of Codivir.
Professor Shlomo L. Maayan, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Israel, said, “During the primary and secondary COVID-19 pandemic, drugs that are believed to have antiviral mechanisms or have been proven to have an antiviral mechanism actually have a longevity. “Codivir showed a very good safety profile and impressive antiviral effect in in vitro studies and in Phase 1 clinical trials in humans. We are currently awaiting results from a double-blind study with Codivir. “Maybe the results could be a breakthrough in the field of antiviral therapy for COVID-19 patients.”
Code Pharma Overview
Code Pharma BV is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in the Netherlands with an R&D facility in Israel. With a focus on developing cost-effective drugs to treat infectious diseases and cancer using novel peptides, the company has top experts in a variety of fields including peptides, cell culture, clinical development, and chemical manufacturing. More information can be found on the website.
Website: https://www.codepharma.com/
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