Vancouver, Oct. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BetterLife Pharma (OTCQB:BETRF) (CSE:BETR), an emerging biotechnology company preparing human clinical trials of AP-003, its interferon alpha 2b inhalation therapy for the treatment of COVID-19, today provided the following update regarding how it expects to overcome potential challenges of recruiting patients for human trials.
BetterLife recognises the paradox that despite the number of people infected with COVID-19 (8 million in the U.S alone), relatively few are making themselves available for human trials. One medical intelligence publication, Evaluate, estimates that only 60,000 people have been involved in a therapeutic trial that is not vaccine related.
BetterLife’s differentiated approach: Using technology to make life easier for patients
BetterLife believes in making its trials as accessible and comfortable as possible by using technology to simplify patient participation.
- The Company’s trials have been designed to promote study participation and streamline data collection;
- Study participants with mild to moderate COVID-19 will self-identify for potential trial enrollment following COVID-19 testing at testing centers;
- Trial consent will be obtained virtually and the trial will be conducted via telemedicine from the participant’s home. This will allow the symptomatic participant to remain in their home but to have daily contact with medical personnel;
- As a safety benefit, the use of telemedicine will decrease the risk of COVID-19 exposure to study personnel. All data collection will be all electronic, allowing for rapid review of the trial data.
‘’Many shareholders have inquired as to our progress in this regard, and we are pleased to announce that we have made significant strides in advancing these trials in Australia. Using new and innovative technology will allow us to be in the vanguard of clinical study design, to easily meet our enrolment goals, and to expedite any potential FDA approval and commercialization of AP-003 for the treatment of COVID-19,” said Dr. Ahmad Doroudian, BetterLife’s Chief Executive Officer.
About BetterLife Pharma Inc.:
BetterLife Pharma Inc. is an emerging biotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutic pharmaceuticals as well as drug delivery platform technologies. BetterLife is refining and developing drug candidates from a broad set of complementary interferon-based technologies which have the potential to engage the immune system to fight virus infections, such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and human papillomavirus (HPV), and/or to directly inhibit tumours to treat specific types of cancer.
For further information please visit www.blifetherapeutics.com.
Cautionary Note
The Company is not making any express or implied claims that AP-003 or any other product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.
Contact
Ahmad Doroudian, Chief Executive Officer
Email: Ahmad.Doroudian@blifepharma.com
Phone: 604-221-0595
Dost Mustaq, BDA International Investor Relations Contact
Email: ir@blifepharma.com
Phone: 646-679-4321
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Except for historical information, the matters set forth above may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forward in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our ability to obtain, on satisfactory terms or at all, the capital required for research, product development, operations and marketing; general economic, business and market conditions; our ability to successfully and timely complete clinical studies; product development delays and other uncertainties related to new product development; our ability to attract and retain business partners and key personnel; the risk of our inability to profitably commercialize our proposed products; the risk that our proposed clinical trials will not be launched in a timely manner (or at all) or if launched yield positive results or that we will not obtain regulatory market approvals for our products; the extent of any future losses; the risk of our inability to establish or manage manufacturing, development or marketing collaborations; the risk of delay of, or failure to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals and, ultimately, product launches; dependence on third parties for successful commercialization of our products; inability to obtain product and raw materials in sufficient quantity or at standards acceptable to health regulatory authorities to commence and complete clinical trials or to meet commercial demand; our ability to obtain patent protection and protect our intellectual property rights; commercialization limitations imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties; uncertainty related to intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against us; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and future levels of government funding; additional risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control.
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