Successful test of COVID-19 drug

The Schlieren-based biopharmaceutical firm Molecular Partners and its partner Novartis have presented initial findings from a Phase I study with the COVID-19 drug ensovibep in healthy volunteers. This trial drug – known as a ‘candidate’ within the industry – is said to be safe and well tolerated. No significant adverse side effects arose, as detailed in a press release. The studies for final approval are set to begin in the second quarter of the year. In the placebo-controlled Phase I study, healthy test subjects were either administered with ensovibep or a placebo, while a third group are now to be tested with a higher dose level.

“These data, coupled with the strong activity demonstrated preclinically against the major variants of SARS-CoV-2 in circulation, make it imperative that we move as quickly as possible to treating patients with our antiviral”, comments Nicolas Leupin, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Molecular Partners, in the press release. The data additionally revealed that it is viable to administer a DARPin candidate at these therapeutically relevant dose levels with full consideration of safety and tolerability. “We look forward to move rapidly to initiate our Phase II/III global registration study with our partner Novartis, early in the second quarter of this year”, Leupin explains further. The drug candidate ensovibep forms part of the Schlieren-based firm’s DARPin (Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins) program. DARPins are artificial proteins that are able to detect and bind antigens.

Back in October 2020, Molecular Partners joined forces with the Basel-based pharma group Novartis after striking an option and license agreement for the latter to develop, manufacture and commercialize the anti-COVID-19 DARPin program developed by Molecular Partners.

In the event that the drug candidate receives approval for use in Switzerland, the Swiss government has already placed an order for 3.2 million doses of ensovibep. The listed biopharmaceutical firm Molecular Partners, which is headquartered at the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich, was founded in 2004 by a group of researchers from the University of Zurich (UZH).