Kochi-based company to start phase 2b trials of COVID drug

Kochi-based company to start phase 2b trials of COVID drug

Kochi-based pharma company, PNBVesper Life, is all set to begin clinical trials for its experimental COVID-19drug, ‘PNB-001’. The company’s CEO Mr. P.N. Balaram said the company received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) toconductphase 2b clinical trial of their

Proprietary drug. He said the moleculeiscapable of treating fever, body panhandling infection – conditions normally

associated with COVID-19.According to Mr. Balaram, the com-COLLABORATIONpany had proposed testing the drug on two sets of people – one that would consume only PNB’ proprietary drug and an other that would consume it along with other drugs to treat these other conditions.However,the government declined permission for it and, hence, the  clinical trials will be done on patients who will also be consuming other drugs

For their other conditions and symptoms. “This is the fi rest chemical entity in the phase 2 chemical trial in the world, “he said. “If it works, it will be a miracle molecule. We think it will give a much better effect than dexamethasone orany other steroids. This is also a very safe molecule because just a 100 mg capsule is required to get the effect on patients. We are planning to complete the whole phase-II clinical trial within60 days as the government is speeding up the approval process and recruiting patients may not be a big problem,” he said. The study will be conducted on40 COVID-19 patients at Pune’s BMJMedical College who are moderate patients on oxygen support.