Positive results for SNG001 in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

UK-based respiratory disease discovery biotech Synairgen (LSE: SNG) saw its shares rise as much as 40% on Friday, as it announced the publication of data from the SG016 trial in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

The SG016 trial randomized 101 hospitalized COVID-19 patients to either SNG001, Synairgen’s inhaled formulation of interferon beta-1a, or placebo. Positive top-line results from the trial were originally announced on July 20, 2020, with more detailed results of primary endpoint analyses disclosed in the company's 2020 interim results on September 29, 2020. The stock drifted back around 12% to 105.66 pence by early-afternoon today.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial assessed the efficacy and safety of inhaled SNG001 as a therapy for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive SNG001 or placebo by inhalation via a mouthpiece once daily for 14 days. The primary endpoint was the change in clinical condition using the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) during the dosing period in the intention-to-treat population (ITT).