ProMedica Researchers first in U.S. to enroll patients in International COVID-19 clinical research study

ProMedica today announced that it enrolled the first two patients in the United States in a global clinical trial to evaluate an oral medication for treatment of patients with COVID-19. The study, “A Randomized Open Label Phase 2b/3 Study of the Safety and Efficacy of NP-120 (Ifenprodil) for the Treatment of Hospitalized Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 Disease”, is investigating the safety and efficacy of Ifenprodil on lung function, health status and SARS-CoV-2 RNA status in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease. The study is sponsored by Algernon Pharmaceuticals located in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.

Ifenprodil, an NMDA antagonist, may be useful in preventing virus-induced acute lung injury. In vitro studies suggest Ifenprodil may block the activation of T cells and cytokine release, and therefore, could be a potent anti-inflammatory agent.

According to the Principal Investigator, ProMedica Critical Care physician, Marla Matal, MD “Our hope is to prevent patients from getting intubated and suffering through the mental and physical agony of a prolonged ICU stay.”

Other ProMedica study team members include Sub-investigator, Greg Kasper, MD, Clinical Research Coordinators, Jessica Shoemaker, RN, and Bailea Bobich, RN and pharmacists Beth Martin, Elice Martin and David Chen.

The study is currently screening and enrolling at ProMedica Toledo Hospital and ProMedica Bay Park Hospital. For more details about the study, please visit the study record on ClinicalTrials.gov.