Novartis COVID-19 Therapy Could Overcome Escape Variant Problem

Protein Therapeutic Enters Pivotal Trial

The DARPin candidate will not gain emergency approval before early 2022, but its likely ability to sustain efficacy regardless of SARS-CoV-2 mutations could be valuable as new variants emerge.

Novartis
Novartis is using a novel Phase II/III trial design to produce fast results in patients with early stage COVID-19 infections.

Novartis and Molecular Partners have begun a pivotal trial of novel therapy ensovibep (MP0420) to see if it can prevent people with early-stage COVID-19 from worsening symptoms and being hospitalized.

Ensovibep is a novel DARPin therapeutic, a new drug class which is being developed by Molecular Partners, a Switzerland-based biotech with which Novartis announced a collaboration last October.

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