Cancer has been one of the terrifying sicknesses, and to date, it is still responsible for so many deaths. However, since the beginning of the year, cancer is not being majorly spoken about. The COVID-19 pandemic has replaced it. The need for corona virus-related vaccine continues to wage by the day, and Tyme Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:TYME) has come forward to present an oral synthetic bile acid, TYME-19.
Bile acids have previously been used for liver disease. However, from a recent broad spectrum of preclinical studies, TYME-19 demonstrated the potential of treating COVID-19. Tyme was quick to establish its effectiveness and safety. It is intended to be a well-tolerated therapeutic, which could pass as a treatment for the early stages of COVID-19 infections.
The Multiple Antiviral Mechanisms of TYME-19
Results from preclinical testing indicated that the metabolic agent had significant antiviral activity. This included the prevention of COVID-19 viral replication without attributable cytotoxicity to the treated cells. It is believed that this agent is capable of degrading viruses by solubilizing the protective lipid layer. With this, the virus cannot bind to or infect any cell.
‘’…the recent finding that certain bile acids occur naturally as part of our response to viral infection, make it an exceptional potential treatment against a virus that spreads rapidly, like COVID-19,” TYME’s Executive VP Dr. John Rothman commented.
Collaboration to Evaluate TYME-19 versus Placebo
As a synthetic bile acid with several therapeutic effects, TYME-19 I capable of obstructing viral replication. However, this poses the question of whether or not it could be a potential therapy for early-stage disease and being prophylactic therapy.
To answer this and other questions, TYME has established a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center. This will result in a study to evaluate TYME-19 versus placebo and its use in symptomatic patients who do not need hospitalization.
The trial will be measuring the precise indicators of safety and efficacy, such as the rate of hospitalization and time resolution of symptoms.
Meanwhile, TYME says it will continue investing in novel therapeutic approaches to meet patients’ unmet needs after diagnosis.