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Faron Pharmaceuticals says Traumakine study shows induction of CD73 molecule prevents death after emergency open aortic surgery

Published: 07:56 03 Feb 2022 EST

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy

Shares in Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (AIM:FARN, OTC:FPHAF) jumped 6% after the clinical stage biopharmaceutical company announced the publication of results from a clinical trial which revealed that its Traumakine therapy can induce a molecule that prevents death after emergency open aortic surgery.

The company said results from its Phase II INFORAAA clinical trial have been published in the multidisciplinary journal Scientific Reports from the Nature Publishing Group.

The INFORAAA study examined the effect of Traumakine (intravenous interferon beta-1a; IFN beta-1a) on the mortality of surgically operated ruptured abdominal aorta aneurysm (RAAA) patients, who face a 30%-40% risk of death from ischemia-reperfusion injury, which is tissue damage caused when blood supply returns to tissue after a period of oxygen depletion.

Traumakine works by up-regulating CD73, a key organ protective endothelial enzyme that reduces inflammation and prevents vascular leakage.

In the trial, 29 patients received Traumakine once a day for six days following surgery, while 11 patients were given a placebo.

The INFORAAA study revealed that up-regulation of CD73 was associated with 100% survival, Faron said.

It noted that approximately a third of the patients in the trial who received Traumakine were treated concomitantly with corticosteroids, which abolished a CD73 response in these patients.

"The study clearly showed that intravenous interferon beta-1a can induce CD73 when not used with steroids or in the presence of IFN beta neutralizing antibodies, and that patients who had high levels of CD73 survived this complicated and invasive surgery," said Professor Maarit Venermo, head of vascular surgery at Helsinki University Hospital, secretary general of the European Society of Vascular Surgery, and one of the coordinating investigators of the INFORAAA trial.

"In the absence of any drugs approved for this condition, as well as complications seen in major surgery, these exciting clinical findings warrant further research to test this drug for the prevention of acute organ injuries," she added.

"I continue to be excited by the potential of IV Interferon beta-1a for the induction of CD73," said Professor Vijay S. Gorontla, professor of surgery at Wake Forest University and president of the International Society of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation.

"CD73 is critical in removal of proinflammatory cytokines in the inflammatory process and I see it having great potential in transplantation and other conditions involving significant cytokine release, such as major operations and polytrauma."

Faron's chief operating officer Juho Jalkanen added: "These results highlight, once again, the importance of CD73 in organ protection and the ability it has to benefit patients undergoing major surgery.

"We are pleased that the data was published and remain excited by the potential of Traumakine across multiple indications where there continues to be significant unmet medical need and no approved drug treatments."

Traumakine is an investigational therapy developed by Faron for the potential treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury, cardiac protection, ischemia reperfusion injury and other systemic inflammatory conditions.

It is currently being investigated in the Phase II/III HIBISCUS trial as a first-line treatment for hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

Shares were up 6% at 265p in early afternoon trade.

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