On Sept. 15, 2020, Innovation Pharma reported receiving additional data from a U.S. Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) collected during ongoing in vitro testing supporting Brilacidin as a potential treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19.

In human lung epithelial cell line experiments performed at the RBL, Brilacidin in combination with Remdesivir, compared to Remdesivir-only treated conditions, showed a statistically significant and synergistic inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. Of particular note, overall viral load was reduced by 99.85 percent in one combination experiment, with remaining virus dropping to near undetectable levels.

Brilacidin appears to have primarily an extracellular mechanism of action, by disrupting viral integrity and blocking viral entry. In contrast, Remdesivir—currently authorized by the FDA for emergency use against COVID-19—has an intracellular mechanism of action, affecting viral replication post-infection. Exhibiting different but synergistic antiviral properties, these two drugs may be an especially potent drug combination in treating COVID-19.