Zydus successfully completes phase-2 trial of Pegylated Interferon alpha2b on COVID-19 patients

Ahmedabad-based pharma company Zydus Cadila on Thursday announced successful completion of phase-two clinical trial on COVID-19 patients with its biological therapy, Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b, ‘PegiHepTM’.

Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b is not a new therapy. It was first approved internationally in 2001 and is also included in WHO’s Essential Medicines List. Zydus Cadila’s Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b, PegiHepTM, was originally approved for Hepatitis C and was launched in the Indian market in 2011.

In the randomized, comparator controlled study, involving 40 adult patients with moderate COVID-19 disease, 95 per cent subjects who received a single dose of PegiHepTM along with the Standard Of Care (SOC), became virus free as assessed by RT-PCR on day 14.

The study established early safety, efficacy and tolerability of PegiHepTM in moderate COVID-19 patients. It so far has indicated that Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b could have a beneficial impact on the patient suffering from moderate COVID-19 disease by reducing their viral load helping in better disease management such as reduced duration of oxygen support.

Moreover, a single dose therapy will improve compliance and also make it highly affordable for patients.

Speaking on the development, Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director of Cadila Healthcare Ltd, said, “We continue to look at possible treatment options that are safe and efficacious in the treatment and management of COVID-19. Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b has shown the potential to reduce virus titres when given earlier in the disease and we will like to explore this biological option further. We are hopeful of reinforcing our treatment options to fight COVID 19.”