Israeli immunotherapy company Enlivex Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ENLV) has reported strong results in its Phase II trial for the efficacy of its drug Alloctera, on patients who are severely or critically ill with Covid-19.
The trial involved 16 patients without a control group, of whom nine were severely ill with Covid-19 and seven were in critical condition. Twenty eight days after the treatment was first administered to the 16 patients, there were no fatalities, and 14 of the 16 patients were released from hospital and returned home. Two patients remain in hospital on ventilators in the intensive care unit. On average, the patients were released from hospital 5.3 days after treatment with Alloctera began.
It is difficult to evaluate the data because it is impossible to know the profile of the patients and how they were selected. However, the data are encouraging and goes together with five other patients in the Phase I trial where all five patients were released from hospital.
Enlivex will submit these results to the regulatory authorities in the US, Europe and other countries to discover what additional trials will be required in order to prove efficacy on patients.
Enlivex's share price rose 6.97% on Nasdaq yesterday after the announcement of the results to $13.96, giving a market cap of $188 million.
Enlivex's chairman is Shai Novik and CEO is Oren Hershkovitz.
Hershkovitz said, "We are pleased with the top-line results of this Phase II clinical trial. We believe that Allocetra, if approved, could potentially cover the void that currently exists for the treatment of severe and critical Covid-19 patients. Covid-19 vaccines are game-changers in the fight against the pandemic, yet with various surveys demonstrating 25-32% of the population in the US and major European countries unwilling to get vaccinated, and concerns surrounding various mutant strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, our commercial model estimates continued demand for the treatment of severe and critical Covid-19 patients for years to come."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 4, 2021
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