NanoViricides Inc. (NNVC)

[JG36]

A useful reminder that Flucide development is not taking place in a vacuum:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that treatment with VX-787 in a Phase 2 influenza challenge study resulted in statistically significant improvements in viral and clinical measurements of infection. VX-787 is an investigational new class of medicine for the treatment of influenza and is designed to directly inhibit replication of the virus. The study met its primary endpoint, and showed a statistically significant decrease in the amount of virus in nasal secretions (viral shedding) over the seven-day study period. In addition, at the highest dosing regimen evaluated in the study, there was a statistically significant reduction in the severity and duration of influenza-like symptoms. People in this dose group experienced influenza-like symptoms for a median of 1.9 days, compared to 3.7 days in the placebo group. In addition, 93 percent of people in this dose group showed no clinical symptoms of influenza after three days of treatment, compared to 41 percent of people in the placebo group. In this study, VX-787 was generally well-tolerated, with no adverse events leading to discontinuation. Based on these data, Vertex will explore collaborative opportunities to support further development of VX-787.

"There is an urgent need for new medicines targeting influenza that work more quickly, address resistant and pandemic strains, and are effective when taken more than two days after symptoms appear," said Chris Wright, M.D., Ph.D., Vertex's Senior Vice President, Global Medicines Development and Medical Affairs. "Further development of VX-787 may offer an opportunity to address these needs. The data from this proof-of-concept study validate VX-787's new mechanism of action, and underscore its potential to significantly reduce the severity and duration of influenza."

Yes, I know that Flucide might prove to be more effective than VX-787, and might work across a broader spectrum of flu strains. But by the time clinical trials begin on Flucide we should be aware that there might be a higher bar to meet than "better than Tamiflu".