The PROTECT-V trial investigating UNIONs COVID-19 candidate receives Urgent Public Health Prioritization from the UK government

The PROTECT-V trial investigating UNIONs COVID-19 candidate receives Urgent Public Health Prioritization from the UK government - UNION Therapeutics - EasyBlog

Hellerup, Denmark, March 29, 2021 – UNION therapeutics A/S (UNION) today announced that the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in the UK has granted Urgent Public Health (UPH) prioritization to the PROTECT-V trial – a platform study investigating UNION’s niclosamide-based treatment candidate for COVID-19 in kidney patients.

Clinical trials granted UPH prioritization by the NIHR are deemed critically important in the fight against COVID-19 and will thus receive infrastructure support allowing expedited recruitment for the study. NIHR is an entity under the Department of Health & Social Care of the UK government.

UPH prioritization will enable streamlined site set up across the UK, and facilitate rapid patient recruitment as a result of NIHR resource and clinical research network support being available.

“We are pleased that our COVID-19 program has achieved this important recognition through the UPH prioritization of the PROTECT-V study as it paves the way for a faster and more efficient conduct of the trial,” said UNION co-founder, Professor Morten Sommer.

“The PROTECT-V trial is testing our product, a niclosamide-based nasal spray (UNI91103), in kidney patients, who may require additional protection from COVID-19 in addition to vaccination. Considering the medical needs within this high-risk patient group, it is vital that the trial will be able to roll out in an expeditated manner,” Professor Sommer concluded.

The PROTECT-V trial is led by the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge and involves researchers and patients from across the UK.

About UNI91103
UNI91103 is a niclosamide based nasal spray in development for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, has been found to replicate most rapidly in nasal epithelial cells, and the sinonasal tract is thought to be an important site for infection as well as transmission. Niclosamide has been identified as a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 and has been demonstrated to prevent fatal outcomes in a murine challenge model of COVID-19 when administered intranasally. UNI91103 nasal spray is in development as a stand-alone product as well as in combination with UNION therapeutics’ inhalation treatment product (UNI91104).

About UNION therapeutics A/S
UNION therapeutics A/S is a privately held, clinical stage, pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel treatments for inflammatory and infectious diseases. The Company is working on two complementary chemistry classes spanning immunology and microbiology, with multiple candidates in clinical development. UNION is headquartered in Hellerup (Denmark) and is managed by an experienced international team. For more information, please visit: www.uniontherapeutics.com.