Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced the opening of a new fueling station in Whittier, CA. The station is owned by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) and Clean Energy designed, constructed and will operate it. Clean Energy will provide renewable natural gas (RNG) to fuel heavy-duty trucks and other medium-duty vehicles in the region, including LACSD’s vehicles.
RNG is derived from capturing the biogenic methane produced by the decomposition of organic waste from dairies, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. Redeem reduces climate-harming greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 percent, and even up to 300 percent depending on the source of the RNG, making it a carbon-negative fuel.
Located at 3212 Workman Mill Road, the RNG station was designed, built, and will be operated by Clean Energy. The station replaces an older facility and features an improved, truck-friendly layout with the ability to dispense fuel three times as fast as the current station. “This new, state-of-the-art station increases access to RNG for heavy-duty Class-8 trucks, allowing more vehicles to take advantage of the cleanest fuel available today,” said Chad Lindholm, vice president, Clean Energy. “We are pleased to partner with LACSD to bring this sustainable fueling solution to the region, as it will allow more fleets to reduce their carbon footprint.”
LACSD applied for and was awarded a grant from SCAQMD’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), which offset a portion of the construction costs. The new station is expected to dispense over 300,000 gallons per year, a 50 percent increase from the prior facility. “LACSD and the solid waste collection customers that we serve were early adopters in switching to the use of clean fuels,” said Robert Asgian, head of the LACSD Solid Waste Department. “We are happy to have an upgraded facility to support more clean vehicles and glad to have Clean Energy as a partner on this project.”
https://wasteadvantagemag.com/clean-energy-opens-renewable-natural-gas-fueling-station-in-whittier-to-expand-availability-of-low-carbon-fuel-for-heavy-duty-truck-fleets/
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an investigation notice into the ongoing outbreak of a specific strain of E. coli across the United States. The multi-state outbreak has already resulted in 9 hospitalizations out of 16 confirmed cases. Sadly, one individual has already died as a result of their infection.
https://www.newsbreakapp.com/n/0YXEH7n7?share_id=eyJ1c2VyaWQiOjEyMzkxNTA3OCwiZG9jX2lkIjoiMFlYRUg3bjciLCJ0aW1lc3RhbXAiOjE2MTI2MzQxOTM2OTh9&s=a99&pd=08NvyI8M&hl=en_US
Innovation is evaluating Brilacidin, under Fast Track designation, in a Phase 2 clinical trial as an oral rinse to attenuate Oral Mucositis in patients with Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) who have received chemoradiation. Topline study results indicate Brilacidin has a high potential for preventative treatment, as evidenced by a clear reduction of Severe OM (SOM) among patients on Brilacidin as compared to those on placebo. Additional secondary endpoint analysis, showing Brilacidin delayed the onset as well as reduced the duration of SOM, supports the drug candidate's therapeutic effect. The Company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have completed an End-of-Phase 2 meeting. Both parties agreed to an acceptable Brilacidin Phase 3 development pathway. The total Brilacidin oral mucositis market opportunity in HNC annually in the U.S. and Europe is estimated to be approximately $600 million to $1.2 billion.
Innovation also is testing Brilacidin, administered with water in an enema, in patients with Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS) — a type of Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and, like Crohn's Disease, an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) — in a proof-of-concept Phase 2 clinical trial. Topline findings support Brilacidin as a novel, non-corticosteriod, non-biologic IBD treatment, with a majority of patients treated achieving induction of clinical remission. Formulation development plans include foam and/or gel for the treatment of UP/UPS and oral tablets for the treatment of UC and Crohn's. Of note, the academic literature suggests a defensin/mucin deficiency in IBD, impacting the mucosal immune system, indicating Brilacidin may have a compensatory effect in this regard.
As a mimic of HDPs, which play a key regulatory role in the etiology of skin diseases, and due to its limited systemic absorption when topically applied (a favorable pharmacokinetic profile), Brilacidin may have other applications in treating dermatological disorders. Additional trials of Brilacidin are planned in Acne, Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema).
A key aspect of Brilacidin's mechanism of action, inhibiting Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), may further support its use in treating Asthma, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), alongside other chronic autoimmune conditions.
As a late-stage antibiotic drug candidate, the first in a new class of anti-infectives, Brilacidin is being advanced in the clinic under Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation — qualifying the drug candidate for Fast Track and Priority Review, as well as an extra 5 years of market exclusivity upon drug approval. A Phase 2b trial was completed evaluating Brilacidin as an intravenously-administered medication in treating Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI). Trial data showed a single dose of Brilacidin to be comparable in safety and efficacy to a 7-day dosing regimen of FDA-approved Daptomycin.
https://www.molecule.to/research-projects/bralacidin-tetrahydrochloride
A recent screening of 5,632 compounds, including 3,488 subjected to clinical-stage testing across 600 indications, only 19 possessed an IC50 in the nanomolar (<1µM) range against Covid-19, demonstrated by Brilacidin.
The company intends to speed-up planned clinical testing of its drug for Covid-19 treatment, including the selection of clinical trial sites. Discussions with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should begin early next month.
Production of intravenous (IV) drug product could generate an amount above the estimated requirement for the planned Phase II trial, allowing extra support for further Covid-19 clinical testing.
https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/innovation-brilacidin-preclinical/
Study identifies 21 existing drugs that could treat COVID-19
Multiple drugs improve the activity of remdesivir, a current standard-of-care treatment for COVID-19
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200724104221.htm
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced plans to launch a “flurry” of large-scale clinical trials for treating COVID-19. The studies include a laundry list of approaches, including monoclonal antibodies against the virus SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalized patients as well as patients who can receive treatment at home; drugs focused on tamping down the cytokine storm caused by an overreaction of the immune system; blood thinners to prevent issues associated with blood clots; and vaccines, including the one under development by Moderna.
https://www.biospace.com/article/biopharma-update-on-the-novel-coronavirus-july-24/
Results and Discussion
We docked a chemical library of 11,552 compounds (composed by FDA-approved, investigational and experimental drugs, cf. the Methods section for details) onto three different proteins of the SARS-CoV-2: the Mpro, the PLpro, and the S-protein. In all targets, molecules
were scored with the QM docking score (QMDS). 7 QM methods capture the underlying physics of the molecular system accounting for all energy contributions, including electronic polarization, covalent-bond formation, and charge transfer. 8 For each target, we then analyzed the 1% top-scoring molecule subset, selecting candidates in terms of their QMDS, the presence of key interactions with the receptor, and visual inspection.
For the Mpro, we used two experimental structures: Mpro bound to peptide N3 (PDB6LU7)18 and the unbound form of the protein (PDB 6YB7). The purpose of using two structures for docking is to account to some extent for protein flexibility by receptor ensemble docking. 19,20 After docking, scoring, and ranking the molecules of the chemical library on
each receptor, the hit-lists were merged and the best ranking pose for each molecule was kept (according to the merging-and-shrinking method21,22).
Self-docking of peptide N3 onto structure 6LU7 had a root-medium-square deviation (RMSD) of 1.7 Å (an excellent result for a peptide), while according to its QMDS, N3 was within the top 0.3% of the docked library; this is a simple but necessary validation of our approach. Following the criteria described above, we hereby describe a list of potential inhibitors: Ritonavir (DrugBank ID DB00503) (Figure 1), Indinavir (DB00224) and Lopinavir (DB01601), which are FDA-approved drugs which act as HIV protease inhibitors, and are used to treat HIV/AIDS; Brilacidin (ChEMBL ID CHEMBL2219413) (Figure 1) an investigational drug for the supportive care of mucositis, stomatitis, and head and neck neoplasms (interestingly, Brilacidin is being investigated for direct inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 (press release of April 6th, 2010 23); Samatasvir (CHEMBL3039519) an investigational drug that has been used in trials as a treatment for hepatitis C infection; CR665 (DB05155) an investigational drug for the development of highly selective peripheral ?-opioid receptor agonists.
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/itempdf74155353254prod/12110199/In_silico_Drug_Repurposing_for_COVID-19__Targeting_SARS-CoV-2_Proteins_through_Docking_and_Quantum_Mechanical_Scoring_v1.pdf
Also, brilacidin, a small arylamide agent designed from host defensins, is explored by a conjoint effort of the University of Pennsylvania and Polymedix (part of Innovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; MA, USA). Brilacidin (PMX30063) is a membrane-targeting antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity against clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal properties of brilacidin most probably derive from its membrane depolarization effects and abrogation of cell membrane functions [23]. Brilacidin has completed Phase II clinical trials for the use as an oral rinse in the treatment of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing chemotherapy, and subsequent Phase III trials have been accorded with the US FDA [24]. The versatility of brilacidin allows further applications and a Phase IIb clinical trial was completed for the intravenous therapeutic use in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. Moreover, a Phase II trial has been planned for an enema formulation for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, and future clinical trials are being planned for several skin conditions and diseases [24].
https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/fmb-2020-0048
Also, brilacidin, a small arylamide agent designed from host defensins, is explored by a conjoint effort of the University of Pennsylvania and Polymedix (part of Innovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; MA, USA). Brilacidin (PMX30063) is a membrane-targeting antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity against clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal properties of brilacidin most probably derive from its membrane depolarization effects and abrogation of cell membrane functions [23]. Brilacidin has completed Phase II clinical trials for the use as an oral rinse in the treatment of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing chemotherapy, and subsequent Phase III trials have been accorded with the US FDA [24]. The versatility of brilacidin allows further applications and a Phase IIb clinical trial was completed for the intravenous therapeutic use in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. Moreover, a Phase II trial has been planned for an enema formulation for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, and future clinical trials are being planned for several skin conditions and diseases [24].
https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/fmb-2020-0048
“With cash reserves in place, we are now planning to quickly prioritize key programs in our pipeline,” commented Leo Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals. “The world continues to suffer from the coronavirus pandemic, both in lives lost and economic devastation. We steadfastly believe that Brilacidin could play a significant role in treating this highly contagious and deadly virus. Steps have begun with the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) in preparation for upcoming manufacture of the drug product for COVID-19 clinical trial use, to be followed by interactions with relevant Health Authorities to obtain input and guidance on trial design.”
http://www.ipharminc.com/press-release/2020/7/7/in-vitro-testing-of-innovation-pharmaceuticals-brilacidin-for-covid-19-shows-consistent-anti-sars-cov-2-efficacy-manufacturing-preparation-underway-for-covid-19-clinical-trial