Will Biocon’s COVID-19 anti-inflammatory succeed where IL-6 blockers have failed?
Biocon is ramping up manufacturing of Alzumab as it prepares to start a large study of the drug
With an Indian EUA for Alzumab, Biocon is now planning to run larger studies and collect real-world data that can demonstrate the CD6 inhibitor can effectively dampen the cytokine storm observed in severe COVID-19 patients, a feat IL-6 inhibitors have yet to demonstrate.
The company also needs to generate additional data beyond those from its 30-patient Phase II trial, which supported the Emergency Use Authorization, to persuade India’s National Task Force on COVID-19 to add the drug to its treatment protocol for the novel coronavirus.
The inflammatory pathology of COVID-19 began to emerge in March as doctors identified a virus-induced hyperinflammatory cytokine storm as one
