Quebec biotech Immune Biosolutions announced on Tuesday the start of the phase I clinical trial for its immunotherapy capable of neutralizing COVID-19 and its variants.
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The complementary treatment to the vaccination is administered by inhalation and makes it possible to act on the level of the lungs in the event of infection. It allows antibodies carried by the respiratory tract to fight COVID-19 at the source.
The phase I clinical trial is taking place in South Africa, while the recruitment of volunteers is done on a voluntary basis.
“This clinical study marks an important step for Immune Biosolutions which is proud to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this global fight against the pandemic, which imposes its serious consequences on patients and on our health systems”, indicated in a press release. Frédéric Leduc, CEO of Immune Biosolutions.
In addition to assessing tolerance to placebo, the study aims to characterize the effect of IBIO123 on the viral load of the coronavirus.
“We believe that IBIO123 is potentially an ideal candidate for treating symptomatic patients in the acute phase and possibly for preventing long-term complications of the infection,” said Luc Paquet, Head of Corporate Development at Immune Biosolutions.
“This clinical trial is an important step towards the potential contribution of promising new treatments for patients with mild to severe COVID-19,” added Dr Bruno Maranda, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Immune Biosolutions.