CARSON CITY, Nev. – BioVie Inc. (NASDAQ: BIVI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has been awarded a grant of up to $13.1 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to fund a Phase 2b clinical trial of bezisterim, an anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing drug. The trial is designed to assess the treatment of neurological symptoms associated with long COVID, a condition characterized by persistent symptoms following a COVID-19 infection.
The grant, provided through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, includes an initial $499,200 for the planning phase with an option to fund the $12.6 million clinical trial after planning concludes. The trial is expected to begin by early 2025 and will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of bezisterim in approximately 200 patients over a three-month treatment period.
Long COVID affects over 17 million adults in the United States, with symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sleep disturbances. The economic impact of the condition is significant, with estimated costs of $3.7 trillion due to loss in quality of life, earnings, and increased medical expenses. Currently, there are no proven therapies for treating long COVID.
Bezisterim’s ability to permeate the blood-brain barrier and modulate inflammation through the activation of NF-kB makes it a promising candidate for addressing the underlying causes of long COVID symptoms. The drug is also being investigated for its potential in treating Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
BioVie’s President & CEO, Cuong Do, expressed optimism about the trial, citing the alignment of bezisterim’s mechanism of action with the emerging evidence for the pathophysiology of long COVID. Dr. Michael Peluso, who leads a Long COVID clinical trials program at the University of California, San Francisco, also welcomed the funding and the opportunity to explore the drug’s potential further.
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This news is based on a press release statement from BioVie Inc. and represents a significant step in the search for effective treatments for long COVID and related neurological conditions.
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As BioVie Inc. (NASDAQ: BIVI) advances its clinical trials with the recent grant from the DOD, investors are closely monitoring the company’s financial health and stock performance. According to…
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