Amarillo progresses interferon trial in WA

Texas, US, based biotechnology company, Amarillo Biosciences, has announced completion of screening process for a phase II clinical trials of its immune boosting interferon in Western Australia.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is being conducted by Dr. Manfred Beilharz from the University of Western Australia and colleagues and is funded by the Western Australian Department of Health.

The trial is testing whether lozenges containing a low dose of interferon-alpha can prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection with influenza and other common respiratory viruses when taken once a day during a typical winter cold/flu season. Final results of the study are expected in Q4 of 2009.

“We are pleased that Dr. Beilharz and his study team were able to achieve their goal of screening over 200 volunteers because this study is an important step in proving that our low-dose interferon lozenges can be a safe and effective alternative to antiviral drugs for influenza," said Dr. Joseph Cummins, President and CEO of Amarillo.

"New therapies like oral interferon are needed in the face of the ongoing swine flu pandemic, especially since the influenza virus has developed resistance in the past to currently marketed antiviral drugs,” he said.

“The community spread of swine flu in Perth has gone from zero to eighty-plus in 14 days, and that is only the confirmed cases," said Beilharz. "Over the next three months we here in Perth, Western Australia, may well experience a reproduction of the community spread that is occurring in Melbourne. If our lozenges work as well as we anticipate against swine flu, we will make a tremendous contribution to economical public health procedures.”

Amarillo aims to release interferon in a low-dose oral form for the prevention and treatment of respiratory illnesses, including influenza, in 2013.