· Brilacidin shown to inhibit multiple alphaviruses, the bunyavirus Rift Valley Rift Fever, and Echovirus (a non-enveloped picornavirus)
WAKEFIELD, MA / September 15, 2022 Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (“the Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that new Brilacidin antiviral data, based on research conducted by scientists at George Mason University’s Center for Infectious Disease Research (formerly NCBID), was presented at the 2022 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), held this week at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, Kissimmee, FL. The corresponding scientific poster is available on the Company’s website at the link below.
· “Brilacidin, a Host Defense Peptide Mimetic, is a Broad-Spectrum Countermeasure Strategy Against Acutely Infectious Viruses.” Poster Presentation. 2022 Military Health System Research Symposium.
www.ipharminc.com/s/MHSRS2022-Brilacidin-poster-fv.pdf
Across multiple cell lines and under different testing conditions, research showed Brilacidin inhibited viral replication in a statistically significant manner in encephalitic alphaviruses, including Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV), and Sindbis Virus (SINV). Brilacidin also was shown to inhibit Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVRF), a contagious bunyavirus that can lead to blindness, liver failure, and hemorrhagic fever in infected individuals. Moreover, anti-inflammatory activity was observed, indicating intracellular events are modulated by Brilacidin treatment. Brilacidin is thus able to exert a combined protective effect by decreasing viral and inflammatory load.
The in vitro evaluation of Brilacidin’s antiviral activity was expanded to Echovirus, a non-enveloped picornavirus, to assess Brilacidin’s effect on early viral entry in contrast to its ability to disrupt the lipid membranes of enveloped viruses. Brilacidin was shown to inhibit Echovirus, suggesting Brilacidin possesses additional antiviral mechanisms beyond its ability to directly impact viral envelopes.
Collectively, these data support Brilacidin’s potential to be developed as a broad-spectrum antiviral.
Beyond research presented at the MHSRS, Brilacidin is being studied by NIH/NIAID-affiliated researchers in different viruses. Findings from this research, as well as results from the Company’s Phase 2 clinical trial of intravenous Brilacidin in hospitalized cases of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 (NCT04784897) -- which showed beneficial treatment effects -- are being prepared for publication. Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a worldwide monkeypox outbreak, it is clear effective broad-spectrum antiviral prevention and treatment strategies are needed.