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The Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced on Monday that it had recorded positive results during phase II clinical trials on an antiviral treatment against Covid-19 developed with the Swiss laboratory Molecular Partners.
Called ensovibep, this intravenous treatment achieved its primary objectives in phase II trials, which correspond to the intermediate phase of clinical studies, concerning the reduction in viral load after eight days for the three dosages tested, indicates Novartis in a press release.
It also achieved its secondary objectives concerning hospitalizations and / or emergency room admissions or death, showing a risk reduction of 78% for patients who received this treatment compared to placebo, specifies the Swiss group. None of the patients treated with ensovibep died.
This phase II study called Empathy, carried out on 407 adult patients on an outpatient basis, aimed to evaluate the dosage of this treatment.
In vitro tests have demonstrated a high level of neutralization of this treatment against all known variants, including against Delta and Omicron, underlines the Swiss group.
In October 2020, Novartis joined forces with Zurich biotechnology laboratory Molecular Partners by signing an agreement for the development of two potential antiviral treatments against Covid-19, including MP0420, since renamed ensovibep.
Novartis, which had paid him 60 million Swiss francs (57 million euros at current rates) and had entered its capital, intends to exercise its option concerning the license for this treatment. The group will pay him an additional 150 million francs and will be responsible for the development, manufacture as well as distribution and marketing for this treatment.
Phase III trials will be carried out with 1,700 additional patients.