Business
Tiziana Life Sciences to Pursue Development of Intranasal Foralumab for the Treatment of Long COVID
Long COVID remains a high unmet need causing a myriad of complications for patients and costing the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $2.6 trillionThe role
About this update from Tiziana Life Sciences Ltd
[{"type":"text","content":"Long COVID remains a high unmet need causing a myriad of complications for patients and costing the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $2.6 trillionThe role of activated microglia is well-established in the pathogenesis of Long COVID and Tiziana’s first-in-class intranasal foralumab dampens activated microglia NEW YORK, April 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tiziana Life Sciences Ltd. (Nasdaq: TLSA) (“Tiziana” or the “Company”), a biotechnology company developing breakthrough immunomodulation therapies via novel routes of drug delivery, today announced it plans to investigate intranasal foralumab for the treatment of Long COVID. The work is supported by foralumab’s well-established role in de-activating microglia cells, a key component in the pathogenesis of this disease. “We anticipate entering into a Phase 2a placebo-controlled clinical trial upon successful feedback from the FDA”, commented Matthew W. Davis, M.D., RPh, Chief Medical Officer of Tiziana. “I am excited to test intranasal foralumab in this medically important condition. The use of PET Scans will allow us to determine if intranasal foralumab will decrease activated microglia in patients with Long COVID after 3 months of administration. After refining our clinical protocols, we need to discuss this approach with the FDA and plan to file an IND in 4Q 2023.” “Long COVID constitutes an unmet need in society. The estimated over 9 million people in the U.S. with Long COVID will cost the healthcare system a projected $2.6 trillion dollars.1 I believe there is substantial evidence to support further study of intranasal foralumab in this debilitating and economically disruptive condition,” commented Gabriele Cerrone, Executive Chairman and interim Chief Executive Officer of Tiziana. “The ability to modulate pathogenic activated microglia may have many applications in inflammatory disease states.” Howard L. Weiner, M.D., Chairman of Tiziana's Scientific Advisory Board and Co-Director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham Healthcare System, stated, “The role of activated microglia is well-established in the pathogenesis of Long COVID.2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Our research using intranasal foralumab in patients with non-active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS), patients with COVID-19 and in h...