Interferon beta (IFN-β) is a naturally occurring protein, which orchestrates the body's antiviral responses. Viruses, including coronaviruses, have evolved mechanisms which suppress natural IFN-β production, thereby helping the virus evade the immune system.
In the laboratory, IFN-β has been shown to protect cells from infection with a broad range of respiratory viruses that cause lower respiratory illness including highly pathogenic coronavirus strains, including MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.
Synairgen’s primary focus is developing our investigative inhaled IFN-β (SNG001) to meet the urgent need for the treatment of severe viral lung inflections, including COVID-19, as potentially the first host-directed, broad-spectrum antiviral treatment delivered directly into the lungs.
Watch this short animation to learn the difference between host-directed antivirals and direct acting antivirals.
Synairgen's primary focus is developing inhaled interferon beta to meet the urgent need for the treatment of COVID-19.