Nordic Life Science 1
COVID-19 UPDATE C OL L ABOR AT ION THE GLOBAL COV
ID-19 Host Genetics Initiative that was launched at the onset of the pandemic currently encompasses more than 61 studies from 25 countries. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University were included through the Swedish SweCovid study of the genetic data of approximately 300 individuals who had been hospitalized with intensive care. BerGenBio R&D TRE ATMENT ENCOURAGING RESULTS FROM BERGENBIO Among the newly identified risk factors are genetic variations already known to be linked to lung cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as genetic variations that are crucial to our defenses against infectious diseases. Two of the genetic risk factors were more prevalent among patients of East Asian or South Asian ancestry than among patients of European ancestry, highlighting the importance of collecting genetic data from various regions of the world. The analyses also indicate DATA WAS PRESENTED from the UKRI Phase II ACCORD2 platform study, sponsored by University Hospital Southampton, UK and BGBC020, BerGenBio’s open-label Phase II study conducted in South Africa and India. In total, 179 eligible patients were enrolled across both studies between May 2020 and March 2021, randomly allocated on an open-label basis to treatment with bemcentinib in addition to standard of care (SoC) in comparison to SoC alone. The two studies shared an identical design, and combined data showed encouraging survival benefit of 96.5% vs 91.2%, with fewer deaths within 29 days of enrolment in bemcentinib treated patients (1 of 30 and 2 of 58, 3.4%) versus SoC (5 of 34 and 3 of 57, 8.8%), respectively. Bemcentinib was well tolerated throughout both studies. An independent data monitoring committee has reviewed each study and concluded there is no evidence of safety concerns from the Phase II evaluation in COVID-19 patients. In a separate preclinical analysis, bemcentinib’s mechanism of action has been shown to be independent of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. In vitro analysis of alpha and beta COVID-19 virus variants has shown continued bemcentinib efficacy. Bemcentinib is a highly selective AXL inhibitor, currently in a broad phase II clinical development program. It is administered as an oral capsule and taken once per day. the probability of a causal link between factors such as smoking and a high BMI, and the risk of developing severe COVID-19. “This illustrate just how much better science is – how much faster it goes and how much more we discover – when we work together,” says Andrea Ganna, researcher at the University of Helsinki and founder of the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. The findings were published in Nature. 56 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG PHOTO NILS OLAV MEVATNE