Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc (IPIX)

[farrell90]

Brilacidin monkey pox...AI

Innovation Pharmaceuticals has announced that NIH/NIAID-affiliated researchers will evaluate Brilacidin, the company's defensin-mimetic drug candidate, for its potential to treat monkeypox. This evaluation comes as the world faces a new viral outbreak in monkeypox following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evaluation Process
The initial testing will be conducted in vitro using orthopoxviruses related to monkeypox, such as vaccinia and cowpox. This builds on previous NIH/NIAID-affiliated research of Brilacidin in other acutely infectious virus families, including coronaviruses, alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and filoviruses.
Potential of Brilacidin
Brilacidin has shown antiviral activity in multiple virus families, which makes its potential effectiveness against poxviruses promising. Academic literature supports this potential, as similar natural antimicrobial peptides like LL-37 and CRAMP have demonstrated antiviral activity against the poxvirus vaccinia both in vitro and in vivo.
Current Monkeypox Situation
As of August 2022, over 26,500 monkeypox cases have been reported in 92 countries. The World Health Organization has declared the global monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared it a national public health emergency.