A compassionate use trial of siltuximab for the treatment of COVID-19 patients has been initiated at the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo, Italy.
The trial will be sponsored by EUSA Pharma which will supply siltuximab for the study.
Siltuximab is a monoclonal antibody currently used for the treatment of Multicentric Castleman Disease.
It targets the production of inflammatory cytokine IL-6.
According to initial data from China, IL-6 may have a role in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 patients.
The study aims to determine whether targeting this cytokine may improve the clinical outcomes for COVID-19 patients with serious respiratory complications.
The researchers also seek to understand the potential for IL-6 blockade in COVID-19 patients and to generate credible data to guide future research and treatment decisions.
KEY POINTS
“We are delighted to support this study to investigate the potential for siltuximab to help patients severely ill as a result of Covid-19,” says EUSA Pharma’s chief executive officer Lee Morley.
Article source: https://bit.ly/2vMPyWG
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