Appili Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on anti-infective drug development, today announced that Health Canada provided regulatory clearance for Appili’s Phase 2 study evaluating FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical’s (FFTC) favipiravir as a preventative measure against COVID-19 outbreaks. Dr. Allison McGeer, senior clinician scientist at Sinai Health’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, Ontario is the study’s primary investigator. Appili expects trial recruitment to begin imminently. Researchers will enroll approximately 760 subjects, both residents and staff, at 16 long-term care homes (LTCHs) in Ontario. The National Institute on Ageing has estimated that as of May 6, 2020, 82 percent of deaths related to COVID-19 in Canada were associated with long-term care facilities.[i]
“Given the severity of COVID-19 amongst the elderly, and the evidence of ongoing transmission with severe outcomes in LTCHs, it is critical to develop interventions that minimize the spread of disease in this setting. As vaccines and treatment for COVID-19 remain unavailable, we must explore all possible solutions,” said Dr. McGeer. “We look forward to working with Appili on this study, as the pandemic continues to present devastating consequences for LTCH residents and their families.”
