TORONTO, May 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revive Therapeutics Ltd. (“Revive” or the “Company”) (CSE: RVV, USA: RVVTF, Frankfurt: 31R), a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for medical needs and rare disorders, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a sponsored research agreement with University of California, San Francisco (“UCSF”) to explore the utility of Bucillamine as a treatment for severe COVID-19. The agreement will support research in the laboratory of Dr. John Fahy to test the efficacy of Bucillamine in pre-clinical models of COVID-19 and to design protocols that test the utility of Bucillamine in human trials.
Michael Frank, CEO of Revive commented: “We are excited to expand the use of Bucillamine as a potential treatment for severe COVID-19 with our research agreement with UCSF and Dr. Fahy as Principal Investigator. Revive is focused on proving Bucillamine’s clinical utility for all forms of COVID-19. Evaluating Bucillamine for severe COVID-19 along with our dedication in completing our ongoing Phase 3 clinical study for mild-to-moderate COVID-19, which has grown from 14 clinical sites to now 26 participating sites in 10 U.S. states, will position Bucillamine as a potential oral treatment option for mild-moderate to severe COVID-19.”
Dr. Fahy is the senior author of a recent study, titled “Thiol-based drugs decrease binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to its receptor and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry” showing that thiol-based drugs, like Bucillamine, decrease the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to its receptor, decrease the entry efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped virus, and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 live virus infection. These findings uncovered a vulnerability of SARS-CoV-2 to thiol-based drugs and provide rationale to test thiol-based drugs such as Bucillamine as novel treatments for COVID-19.
Dr. John Fahy, MD, MSc is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and is a director of UCSF’s severe asthma clinic. He also directs the UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center. His research receives funding from the National Institutes of Health for studies of lung disease and for studies of thiol-based drugs to treat mucus pathology in the lung. Dr. Fahy earned his medical degree at the University College Dublin. After internal medicine training in Dublin, he completed fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine at UCSF. He is the Michael S. Stulbarg Endowed Chair in Pulmonary Medicine.
The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate or cure COVID-19 (SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.
About Revive Therapeutics Ltd.
Revive is a life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare disorders, and it is prioritizing drug development efforts to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the FDA such as Orphan Drug, Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. Currently, the Company is exploring the use of Bucillamine for the potential treatment of infectious diseases, with an initial focus on severe influenza and COVID-19. With its acquisition of Psilocin Pharma Corp., Revive is advancing the development of Psilocybin-based therapeutics in various diseases and disorders. Revive’s cannabinoid pharmaceutical portfolio focuses on rare inflammatory diseases and the company was granted FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) to treat autoimmune hepatitis (liver disease) and to treat ischemia and reperfusion injury from organ transplantation. For more information, visit www.ReviveThera.com.
For more information, please contact:
Michael Frank
Chief Executive Officer
Revive Therapeutics Ltd.
Tel: 1 888 901 0036
Email: mfrank@revivethera.com
Website: www.revivethera.com
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Revive’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the the Company’s cannabinoids, psychedelics and infectious diseases programs. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Revive at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Revive is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Reference is made to the risk factors disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual MD&A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, which has been filed on SEDAR and is available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.
UC Disclaimer
The information stated above was prepared by Revive Therapeutics Ltd. and reflects solely the opinion of the corporation. Nothing in this statement shall be construed to imply any support or endorsement of Revive, or any of its products, by The Regents of the University of California, its officers, agents and employees.