Clinical Trials
Synairgen's primary focus is the development of its investigational inhaled interferon beta product SNG001 to meet the urgent need for the treatment of severe viral lung infections, including COVID-19, as potentially the first host-directed, broad-spectrum respiratory antiviral treatment delivered directly into the lungs.
Clinical and Pre-Clinical Research
Pre-clinical research conducted by Synairgen of IFN-β (at concentrations readily achievable following inhaled delivery of SNG001) shows the inhibition of a broad range of viruses in cell-based assays including:
- viruses which cause seasonal cold (e.g., RSV, Rhinovirus) and flu infections
- highly pathogenic viruses such as H5N1 ‘bird flu’ and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
- pandemic viruses including H1N1 2009 ‘swine flu’ and SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron)
Based on the potent antiviral activity of SNG001 in vitro, Synairgen began investigating the safety and efficacy of SNG001 as a broad-spectrum antiviral in specific patient populations including those with asthma and COPD.
IFN-β-driven antiviral responses have been shown to be compromised in certain populations including older people (Agrawal 2013) and those with chronic airways diseases (Wark et al 2005; Singanayagam et al 2019), putting these groups at high risk of developing severe lower respiratory tract illness which can be fatal. In addition, viruses (such as SARS-CoV-2) have evolved mechanisms to suppress IFN-β production and signalling, helping them to evade the innate immune system (Yuen et al 2020; Zhang et al 2020), allowing viral spread.
