For its COVID drug, Rnatics relies on a substance that blocks pro-inflammatory microRNAs. This approach is independent of which virus variant causes the damage. Severe pneumonia and scarring of lung tissue are possible consequences of COVID-19 infections. They can impair lung function in the long term and are one of the causes of the "long COVID" phenomenon.
A team led by Stefan Engelhardt, Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the TUM, has developed a new RNA drug that can prevent this inflammatory lung damage. When administered via the respiratory tract, this substance binds quickly and specifically to immune cells in the alveoli and inhibits a specific microRNA molecule there. At least in mice, there is significantly less inflammation and lung damage, and lung function improved significantly. The project leader says he is confident that severe inflammation and thus ultimately lung damage caused by long Covid can also be prevented in humans who inhale the drug via an inhaler.
Covid drug should also work for future Corona-Varianten
Based on the active ingredient "RCS-21," Engelhardt and his partners are now developing a drug for the treatment of COVID-19. The RNA drug would be the first in its class to be specifically taken up by misguided immune cells, so-called macrophages.
“Because it affects immune cells rather than the virus, RCS-21 should also be effective against diseases caused by Omicron or future, more aggressive virus variants,”
says Deepak Ramanujam, co-inventor and group leader at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. A worldwide patent application process is underway. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will provide approximately 7 million euros in funding for clinical trials of the COVID drug as part of the "Guideline for the Promotion of Research and Development of Urgently Needed Therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2." The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices has already given a positive assessment of the active ingredient.
"We expect to complete the preclinical toxicological assessment in the third quarter of 2022. If the BfArM grants approval, we can enter phase one of the clinical trial in about a year,"
says Stefan EngelhardtIn this first of three clinical phases prior to approval, a drug is initially administered to a small group of people.
