COVID-19 and exposure to mechanical ventilation increase unchecked inflammation and ARDS mortality(ARDS) AND VENTILATOR-INDUCED LUNG INJURY (VILI)
TUCSON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Aqualung Therapeutics Corporation is developing ALT-100, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, to combat serious unchecked inflammation. The initial application aims to reduce the mortality of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). This offers a potential option in the treatment of COVID-19, which causes severe pneumonia and respiratory failure and can be compounded by mechanical ventilation, resulting in multi-organ failure and death.
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Key Takeaways
- ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome), with a mortality rate of 35-40%, occurs in patients with severe lung inflammation, low levels of oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia) and respiratory failure that requires mechanical ventilation as a life-saving intervention but which also contributes to lung inflammation and ARDS mortality
- There were dramatic increases in virally-induced ARDS cases during the rise of two species-jumping coronaviruses, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), and now with the novel coronavirus -COVID-19- pandemic
- There are no FDA-approved treatments for ARDS or for ARDS-inducing stimuli such as COVID-19.
About Aqualung Therapeutics Corporation
Aqualung is an early stage biotech company developing immune-focused therapeutic antibodies for patients suffering from disorders characterized by acute and chronic lung and systemic inflammation. Founded in 2016 and led by a physician scientist, Aqualung's science-driven approaches led them to the identification of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and other key proteins expressed in both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The pipeline of ALT is designed to target a range of diseases, including ARDS, ventilator- and radiation-induced lung injury, prostate cancer, pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis. These conditions all exhibit a significant unmet medical need with significant morbidity and mortality. For additional information about the company, please visit www.aqualungtherapeutics.com.
Aqualung Therapeutics Corporation
Tel: +1-(312) 618-7337
Joe GN "Skip" Garcia, MD, CEO & Founder
[email protected]
SOURCE: Aqualung Therapeutics Corporation