On April 7, 2020, Novant Health and CytoDyn Inc announced that Novant will participate in CytoDyn’s clinical trial for COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms. This randomized clinical trial is now in Phase 2 and is the second trial site in the nation. “COVID-19 is the most significant health threat of our generation,” said Dr. Eric Eskioglu, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Novant Health. “We want to thank CytoDyn for partnering with us in this very important leronlimab clinical drug trial. With lives at risk, we are working together towards an effective treatment solution.” The second trial will feature a double-blind model with a 2:1 ratio (a drug to placebo) with a dosing period of two weeks.
“Our research team’s partnership with CytoDyn has enabled us to enroll Novant Health patients in this trial just four days after our organizations first made contact,” said Mark King, Vice President, Research & Innovation, Novant Health. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside CytoDyn’s team of professionals, who share our commitment to swiftly finding the treatment our patients and communities need.”
Leronlimab (PRO 140) is the name of the drug and currently has two potential uses identified. The first is in combination with another drug for HIV-infected patients and the second is for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. So far, it has completed over nine clinical trials with over 800 people. The leronlimab antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent and this study will explore its use in COVID-19 treatment. Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of CytoDyn, added, “We are very pleased to work closely with Novant Health, one of the leading providers of innovative healthcare in the Southeast region of our country. This pandemic is creating an opportunity for all healthcare professionals to collaborate in order to bring a potential therapeutic benefit to so many affected people. Based on the results we have seen with several New York patients, we are hopeful that leronlimab can provide a benefit to patients throughout the country.”
For more information, please view the complete press release at –https://www.cytodyn.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/411/novant-health-initiates-phase-2-covid-19-trial-with
