Covid: Large Trial Of New Treatment Begins In UK
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the first three paragraphs.
A large-scale trial of a new treatment it is hoped will help stop Covid-19 patients from developing severe illness has begun in the UK.
The first patient received the treatment at Hull Royal Infirmary on Tuesday afternoon.
It involves inhaling a protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it gets a viral infection.
The product is from Synairgen and I should declare an interest.
When I heard about the company and their plans about six months ago, I made a modest four-figure investment in their shares.
I wrote about my reasons in Coronavirus: Protein Treatment Trial ‘A Breakthrough’
I have been very well rewarded.
Covid: Genes Hold Clues To Why Some People Get Severely Ill
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the opening paragraph.
Why some people with coronavirus have no symptoms and others get extremely ill is one of the pandemic’s biggest puzzles.
It is now less of a puzzle, thanks to research led by the University of Edinburgh.
These paragraphs explain the methodology.
Scientists looked at the DNA of patients in more than 200 intensive care units in UK hospitals.
They scanned each person’s genes, which contain the instructions for every biological process – including how to fight a virus.
Their genomes were then compared with the DNA of healthy people to pinpoint any genetic differences, and a number were found – the first in a gene called TYK2.
One of the other genes mentioned is IFNAR2, where this was said.
Variations in a gene called IFNAR2 were also identified in the intensive care patients.
IFNAR2 is linked to a potent anti-viral molecule called interferon, which helps to kick-start the immune system as soon as an infection is detected.
It’s thought that producing too little interferon can give the virus an early advantage, allowing it to quickly replicate, leading to more severe disease.
I know a bit about interferon and I must admit I’ve made a bit of profit on shares in Synairgen, which are linking interferon with an inhaler.
I then typed “coeliac disease and interferon” into Google and found this article on The Lancet, which is entitled Onset Of Coeliac Disease and Interferon Treatment.
My medical knowledge is very limited, but it does appear that if you are coeliac on a gluten-free diet, you don’t get any problems, with interferon.
The plot thickens!
Not for nothing, do some doctors coeliac disease, the Many-Headed Hydra.
Coronavirus: Protein Treatment Trial ‘A Breakthrough’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the first three paragraphs of the article.
The preliminary results of a clinical trial suggest a new treatment for Covid-19 reduces the number of patients needing intensive care, according to the UK company that developed it.
The treatment from Southampton-based biotech Synairgen uses a protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it gets a viral infection.
The protein is inhaled directly into the lungs of patients with coronavirus, using a nebuliser, in the hope that it will stimulate an immune response.
I first heard of Synairgen about five months ago, when I read about the company in the Sunday Times. It was only a few words, but it did say, that they were developing an inhaled beta interferon for use by Covid-19 patients or those with lung problems.
I should say, that I know about inhaled pharmaceuticals. Not because, I’ve ever used any, but because I funded the development of a very successful metered-dose inhaler for asthma drugs.
Two inventors; Stephen Dunne and Terry Weston came to me looking for finance to complete the development of an aerosol value, that instead of using CFCs or HCFCs as a propellant, used purified air. In fact it was pure nitrogen, but the average user of a deodorant or fly-spray doesn’t know that nitrogen is a constituent of air and thinks it’s posionous.
We formed a company called Dunne Miller Weston or DMW.
It was a technical success and the company’s MP; John Gummer, took details of the breakthrough to the conference that resulted in the Montreal Protocol.
The device and the associated patents were sold to Johnson & Johnson.
The two inventors had other ideas and one was for a metered dose inhaler for asthma drugs.
I remember that they were able to get a grant from Glaxo to prove the concept of the device.
Because, the full development would need more money, we now had a fourth partner; Mike.
I remember going with Mike to see Glaxo and we were unable to reach agreement on how Glaxo would contribute to the full development. They tended to give out these grants and I got the impression, that ours was one of the first to get a positive result and they didn’t know how to handle it.
But, it didn’t matter, as we were able to raise the funding from elsewhere and develop a successful device.
This was sold to Boehringer Ingelheim for a lot of money and all investors were very satisfied. Their product name is Respimat.
Glaxo carried on using an HCFC device.
I earned a reasonable about of money from my investment, but I also learned a lot about pharmaceuticals.
- At the time, New Zealand had the highest level of asthma inhaler use in the world.
- Pharmaceutical companies are very conservative.
- Doctors tend to give out inhalers like toys.
- Naked flames are a big cause of asthma.
But the most important knowledge I acquired was over a drink with an engineer in a pharmaceutical company, that the fine spray we obtained with our device would have lots of medical applications, including delivery of insulin for diabetics. We’d already had very good feedback, from test users in Germany.
Some other applications are stored in my brain. One could be a very big seller in the modern world!
So when I saw the report in The Sunday Times, I bought a few shares in Synairgen.
I have been well-rewarded today!
The Anonymous Widower 