Received U.S. approval for testing Swiss biotech company hopes for Corona breakthrough with potency drug 08/16/2020, 02:12 AM A Swiss biotech company has received US approval for a Corona drug. Patients therefore respond well to aviptadil, which has been developed to treat potency problems. Relief Therapeutics is now also expecting the big financial breakthrough. Daniel Kestenholz RELIEFTHERAPEUTICS.COM 1/4 The Swiss biotech company Relief Therapeutics is hoping for a big breakthrough with Aviptadil. 2/4 The drug developed for potency problems therefore also shows clear advantages in the treatment of Covid patients. AFP 3/4 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given Aviptadil the go-ahead for an accelerated approval process. RELIEFTHERAPEUTICS.COM 4/4 The Swiss Raghuram Selvaraju, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Relief Therapeutics, is convinced of the success of the Corona product.
The Corona pandemic also gives new wings to the Swiss pharmaceutical industry. Lonza will produce a vaccine developed by the US company Moderna at the Valais plant near Visp. The biotech company Relief Therapeutics, which is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, is also making great progress with a Corona remedy.
Geneva-based Relief Therapeutics holds valid patents in the United States and Europe for the agent RLF-100 (Aviptadil) - a remedy developed against erectile dysfunction. Apparently, Aviptadil also has the potential to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients. It shows a rapid recovery from respiratory failure.
Aviptadil is considered an innovative drug for inhalation in moderate and severely ill corona patients. The remedy can prevent patients from having to be connected to ventilators - or from being no longer dependent on ventilators within a few days.
Promotes blood oxygen In early August, Aviptadil received the accelerated extended approval process for respiratory failure by Covid-19 in the US. The drug had actually been developed to treat erectile dysfunction. Aviptadil is combined with another ingredient called phentolamin to treat erectile dysfunction. When both drugs are taken together, they promote blood flow in and out of the penis, keeping it firm. However, tests show that Aviptadil should also treat lung-sick Covid-19 patients. X-rays therefore indicate a rapid improvement in blood oxygen and that the lungs are pumping oxygen through the body again.
RLF-100 is considered to be the first drug that blocks the propagation of coronavirus in human lung cells and monocytes. The hope is that the drug will prove beneficial by inhaling in a wider range of patients with corona-related breathing problems. Clinical trials will begin in September.
A first phase of testing will include patients in hospitals. If successfully applied, the trials will be extended to patients at home who are only mildly or moderately ill with the virus, relief therapeutics and its US partner Neurorx announced this week.
"Hundreds of Millions of Dollars" Revenue Expected At the beginning of August, Relief Therapeutics' share price exploded from a unit price of around 0.03 Swiss francs per share to 0.70 Swiss francs, with the price currently stabilizing at around 0.45 Swiss francs. The price upswing came after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aviptadil testing.
After difficult past years of operation, Chairman of the Board of Directors Raghuram Selvaraju (42) considers the current stock market valuation of more than one billion Swiss francs to be justified. In an interview with the business portal "The Market", he assesses the probability of admission at 60 to 70 percent.
The active substance has been used for various indications for many years. He said the company was confident about its safety. "Our active ingredient," says the Swiss, "could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars a year."