Biophytis to update on the development of Sarconeos (BIO101) in Covid-19 at the 4th Annual Longevity Therapeutics Summit
Phase 2-3 COVA study results expected in Q3 2022
Biophytis announces its CEO, Stanislas Veillet, PhD, has been hosting a presentation at the 4th Annual Longevity Therapeutics Summit in San Francisco.
The Biophytis presentation entitled “Discussing the Use of Sarconeos (BIO101) for the Treatment of an Emerging Age-Related Disease, Covid-19”, focused on the description of the mechanism of action of Sarconeos (BIO101), its interest in the treatment of age-related diseases such as sarcopenia, and provided an update on the progress of the COVA Phase 2-3 study in Covid-19.
Sarconeos (BIO101) activates the MAS receptor, a key component of the protective arm of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS). The RAS is a central endocrine system controlling water balance, deregulated with ageing, associated with multiple age-related diseases, such as sarcopenia, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. The deregulation of nutrient sensing, in this case water, is one of the 9 hallmarks of ageing that is currently guiding the development of treatments for age-related diseases with the aim of increasing healthy life and longevity.
The potential of Sarconeos (BIO101) in the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients, which rebalances the protective arm of the RAS unbalanced by the viral infection, is outlined. It is recalled that patients with severe Covid-19 at risk of Acute Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ARDS) and death are predominantly elderly patients, with co-morbidities associated with RAS dysregulation, such as hypertension or renal failure. The pharmacological activity of Sarconeos (BIO1101) in an animal model of COVID-19 (Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-Cov-2) demonstrates the potential of the drug candidate to restimulate respiratory function, independent of viral load.
An update on the phase 2-3 COVA study was presented, including the results of the second interim analysis showing that the effect of Sarconeos (BIO101) is in the promising zone of efficacy, with no safety concern. The recruitment of 237 patients in this study, hospitalised for hypoxia in France, Belgium, the United States and Brazil, has now been completed. The final data are currently being collected and validated, will then be analysed, and the results of the study will be reported in Q3 2022 as planned.
Stanislas Veillet, CEO of Biophytis, said: “Severe forms of COVID-19 have concerned in its vast majority the elderly population. We do believe that COVID-19 is becoming endemic and will persist over time. Sarconeos (BIO101) might bring a real therapeutic solution for patients, and especially the eldest ones, hospitalized with severe respiratory manifestations, with no pharmacological treatment option today. The Phase 2-3 COVA study that we initiated more than 2 years ago is now in its final stages. We confirm that we expect to be able to report the COVA results in Q3 2022.”