On Apr. 9, 2020, Laurent Pharmaceuticals announced that a spin off from McGill University planned to test its lead drug LAU-7b in patients with COVID-19 disease, as part of a Phase 2 clinical trial. LAU-7b is a novel once-a-day oral form of fenretinide, an investigational drug under development by Laurent Pharma for its ability to help control inflammation in the lungs.

During a recent drug-library screening effort conducted by scientists from the Institut Pasteur Korea, fenretinide was also identified as a potential anti-viral therapeutic option for COVID-19.

Earlier Phase 1b clinical data in adult CF patients showed an important reduction of key pro-inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, IL-8, neutrophils count) at the onset of a pulmonary exacerbation episodes, suggestive of a protective effect on the lungs.