NIH to study three experimental COVID-19 treatments
The National Institutes of Health said Thursday that it is putting three more investigational COVID-19 treatments into Phase 2/3 clinical trials. The experimental therapies are: an inhalable beta interferon developed by Synairgen's ; AstraZeneca's monoclonal antibody combination, which will be tested as an infusion and also as an injection; and Sagent Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s oral serine protease inhibitor. Sagent is privately held. The NIH said it is trying to identify and study therapies aimed at treating people who develop mild or moderate forms of COVID-19. So far during the pandemic, there are few therapies available that effectively treat patients with COVID-19. Only one, Gilead Sciences Inc.'s Veklury, has received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, though several other companies, including Eli Lilly & Co. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have received emergency authorization for their antibody treatments. Over the past year, Synairgen's stock has soared 763.1%, while U.S.-listed shares of AstraZeneca are up 0.4%. The broader S&P 500 is up 27.2%.
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