SynAct Pharma

The peer-reviewed article, published in British Journal of Pharmacology, states it is the first scientific publication in literature showing treatment effects of a pro-resolving molecule in human infection.

The major findings in the article are:

• Resomelagon significantly reduced disease activity in an animal model of betacoronavirus (MHV-A59 virus) induced pulmonary infection and in an animal model of SARS-CoV-2 virus induced pulmonary infection.
• Resomelagon significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (monocytes and lymphocytes) challenged with SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• In a randomized clinical trial (the RESOVIR-1 study) in COVID-19 patients, resomelagon significantly reduced time to recovery of respiratory insufficiency (measured on time to normalization of oxygen saturation on ambient respiration) and significantly reduced time to discharge of hospitalization when compared placebo treatment in patients that despite standard treatment, including low dose glucocorticoid treatment, developed severe respiratory insufficiency.

“As highlighted in the article, this is the first peer-reviewed scientific report demonstrating the effects of a pro-resolving compound in the context of severe infection in humans,” said Thomas Jonassen, CSO at SynAct Pharma and co-author of the article. “The encouraging results show the potential of resomelagon to re-balance the inflammatory response in severe viral infection, not only seen in COVID-19 infected patients, but in a number of viral infections including severe influenza and dengue fever among others. We will therefore, in parallel with the continued development of the compound in the Phase 2b ADVANCE study in rheumatoid arthritis, continue to investigate the potential of the compound within viral infections in the RESOVIR collaboration.”

“I am very happy to see these results. Although our priority is to continue development of resomelagon in RA, these very interesting data create opportunities in other indications with severe virus infections. This further strengthen our possibilities in finding partnerships with Big Pharma, or receiving soft money, to pursue these activities,” said Jeppe Øvlesen, CEO of SynAct Pharma.

The publication is based on data generated as part of the RESOVIR collaboration, a scientific and clinical development collaboration between the University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, William Harvey Research Institute, London, UK and SynAct Pharma.

Link to the research article in the British Journal of Pharmacology:
https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.17322

or through Pub Med:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39159951/