Drug set to rescue COVID-19 patients at ICUs

Initial data from an US expanded access  (EA) use of RLF-100 (aviptadil) in 90 ICU patients with critical COVID-19 and severe comorbidities point to a 72% survival 28 days after initial treatment. According to NeuroRx Inc and the virtual biotech company Relief Therapeutics Holding AG , data from a clinical Phase IIb/III trail along with scientic publications suggest that only 27% patients, who received placebo and the best standard of care survived until day 28, while the survival rate seen was similar. If the results are confirmed in a large patient population this would mean a significant progress.

According to the developers of aviptadil as a treatment for COVID-19, in the EAP, no drug-related Serious Adverse Events have been reported to date.

Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP), the active ingredient in  aviptadil been shown in more than 100 peer-reviewed studies to have potent anti-inflammatory/anti-cytokine activity in animal models of respiratory distress, acute lung injury, and inflammation. Most importantly, 70% of the VIP in the body is bound to a rare cell in the lung, the alveolar type 2 cell, that is critical to transmission of oxygen to the body. VIP has a 20-year history of safe use in humans in multiple human trials for sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma/allergy, and pulmonary hypertension.