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HLS Therapeutics Supports Trial to Investigate the Effects of Vascepa® (Icosapent Ethyl) against COVID-19
HLS Therapeutics Supports Trial to Investigate the Effects of Vascepa® (Icosapent Eth...
About this update from Hls Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nHLS Therapeutics Supports Trial to Investigate the Effects of Vascepa® (Icosapent Ethyl) against COVID-19\n\n/* Style Definitions */\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCanada NewsWire\nTORONTO, May 21, 2020\n\n\n\nTORONTO, May 21, 2020 /CNW/ - HLS Therapeutics Inc. (\"HLS\" or the \"Company\") (TSX:HLS), a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on central nervous system and cardiovascular markets, announces that in collaboration with Amarin Corporation (NASDAQ:AMRN) it is supporting a trial to investigate the effects of Vascepa® (icosapent ethyl, or \"IPE\") on inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with COVID-19. The trial sponsored by the Canadian Medical and Surgical Knowledge Translation Research Group, is being led by Dr. Subodh Verma MD, PhD, FRCSC, FAHA, a cardiac surgeon‐scientist at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto,  Professor at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery, and Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt MD MPH, Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Professor, Harvard Medical School.  \nThe trial design is based on the scientific hypothesis that IPE may possess anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and potentially anti-viral properties (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) which could be beneficial to patients suffering from COVID-19. The goal of the trial is to document the short-term effect of IPE versus usual care on inflammatory biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein, in adults with documented COVID-19.\nThe trial is a 14-day long prospective, multi-site, two-armed, randomized, open-label study that will enroll approximately 100 individuals with COVID-19 who have undergone testing in Canada. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to receive either IPE (a loading dose of 4 g BID for 3 days, then 2 g BID for the subsequent 11 days) or usual care. Blood samples will be collected to determine if IPE use lowers circulating proinflammatory biomarkers. The trial is expected to commence in May 2020.\n\"The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great sense of urgency...