Sanofi, Regeneron Begin Testing Arthritis Drug as Coronavirus Treatment

(Reuters)—Sanofi SA and partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have started a clinical trial of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara (sarilumab) as a treatment for the coronavirus, the companies said on Monday.

Enrolments for the mid-to-late stage trial will begin immediately, and the companies anticipate the trial will test up to 400 patients.

Sarilumab is an infection-fighting protein known as monoclonal antibody.

Regeneron in February announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a coronavirus treatment and had said it would focus on monoclonal antibodies.

Sarilumab is now FDA approved to treat adults with polymyalgia rheumatica who have had an inadequate response to glucocorticoids or who cannot tolerate a glucocorticoid taper. This new indication is based on results from the multicenter, phase 3 SAPHYR trial.

A study investigating sarilumab’s effects on patients with COVID-19 has begun in New York. The treatment blocks IL-6, which may play a role in the respiratory distress caused by the virus…

(Reuters)—Initial data from clinical trials testing whether patients with severe coronavirus illness can be helped by a rheumatoid arthritis drug sold by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA may come as early as next week, Regeneron’s chief scientific officer told Reuters. “We could be one to two weeks—at most a month or so—away from knowing…

(Reuters)—Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have expanded a clinical trial of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara (sarilumab) as a coronavirus treatment to patients outside the U.S. The companies said enrolments for the mid-to-late stage trial of sarilumab, an immune-system modifying drug known as a monoclonal antibody, have now started in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Canada…

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