On Feb. 3, 2021, RELIEF THERAPEUTICS affirmed that its collaboration partner NeuroRx had initiated a phase 2/3 clinical trial investigating the role of inhaled RLF-100TM (aviptadil; ZYESAMI(TM)) for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 in partnership with UCI Health of the University of California, Irvine.

The objective of the study was to determine whether RLF-100TM, administered at the earlier (severe) stage of COVID-19 educed the likelihood of progression to critical COVID-19 with respiratory failure: the predominant cause of death in COVID-19-infected individuals.