On Apr. 8, 2020, MediciNova announced that it had initiated a clinical trial of MN-166 (ibudilast) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019).

The study will be conducted by Yaleﾒs Advanced Therapies Group, which is co-directed by Richard Bucala, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology at Yale School of Medicine and Rheumatologist-in-Chief at Yale New Haven Health. Dr. Bucala, is credited with the cloning of MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) and its receptor and led prior efforts targeting MIF in autoimmunity and in cancer.