Ibudilast clinical trial launched for ARDS in COVID-19 by Yale University

Yale University recently launched a clinical trial of ibudilast (MN-166) to assess it as a treatment for COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a cause of death in COVID-19 patients.

The drug has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects and suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Ibudilast, which has been approved for years in Japan and Korea for the treatment of asthma, has shown promising results for reducing inflammation associated with ARDS in mouse models.

The placebo-controlled clinical trial by Yale University, partnered with MediciNova (Nasdaq: MNOV), hopes to show that blocking the effects of MIF will protect COVID-19 patients from developing ARDS. The researchers also hope to soon receive FDA approval for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia, for which the drug is in discovery stage for treatment. Treating pneumonia would help prevent progression to the severe form of respiratory distress, which requires mechanical ventilation.