Neutralising the Neutrophils in COVID-19 ARDS
By Dr Magnus Nicolson FRSC FRSM (Chairman), ILC Therapeutics
Professor Bill Stimson
ILC Therapeutics Ltd is an early stage biotechnology company focused on modulating the Innate Immune System through the development of novel peptide therapeutics for the treatment of Cancer, Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis.
At ILC Therapeutics Ltd we have developed molecules that regulate inflammatory responses and the complex interaction between the Innate and Adaptive Immune systems. These patented molecules were the result of almost 2 decades of research by Prof. Bill Stimson. Until recently our focus was tumour microenvironments, Psoriasis and Allergic Asthma applications. It now appears the inflammatory responses we can control in vitro are the same responses seen in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Our recombinant Alpha interferon 14 can upregulate Natural Killer (NK) cells that fight virus infections, down regulate Neutrophils which cause alveolar damage in ARDS. In addition, it has more powerful direct anti-viral effects than any other commercially available interferon when tested against Coronaviruses.
The best theoretical time for intervention using our Alpha 14 Interferon is while the body is still using NK cells to fight the virus and before it switches to predominantly using Neutrophils which only make matters worse and cause massive damage to the alveoli resulting in ARDS. In acute phase ARDS, as well as Neutrophil mediated damage, many chemical inflammatory messengers are released in what is commonly called a “Cytokine Storm”. We have found that rAlpha 14 Interferon can downregulate the production of many of these cytokines and chemokines including IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17.
We are therefore planning to look at the efficacy of an aerosolised rAlpha 14 Interferon in the treatment of COVID-19 ARDS in the first half of 2021. As Alpha 14 interferon is a naturally occurring molecule in all humans and not a New Chemical Entity (NCE) we expect it to be very well tolerated in patients. Our aim: working with appropriate academic and clinical partners in the UK, Europe and the USA is to examine the effects of rAlpha 14 interferon on Neutrophils and other white blood cells present in patient lung lavages/aspirates as well as peripheral blood.
Our Final Seed Round funding which closes on 29th May before an anticipated £4m (Grant & Equity) funding later in 2020 to progress the COVID-19 ARDS Project through to the completion of a small Phase 2a study.
The ARDS treatment we are developing for COVID-19 can, in theory, be used to treat ARDS caused by a wide number of viral and bacterial infections in addition to potential allergic asthma applications. Long after the COVID-19 pandemic is over many of the therapeutic innovations developed and accelerated during this crisis will become standard practice in the treatment of respiratory viral infections around the world.