On Jun. 16, 2021, RELIEF THERAPEUTICS reported that its collaboration partner, NRx Pharmaceuticals (NRx) had announced additional results from the aviptadil U.S. Expanded Access Protocol (EAP). The EAP included 240 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with critical COVID-19 respiratory failure requiring either invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation, or high flow rate oxygen by nasal cannula, and not eligigible for recently completed phase 2b/3 clinical trial with IV aviptadil.

Relief focuses primarily on clinical-stage programs based on molecules with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rationale. Relief’s lead drug candidate RLF-100^TM (aviptadil), a synthetic form of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), is in late-stage clinical development in the U.S. for the treatment of respiratory deficiency due to COVID-19.

As part of its pipeline diversification strategy, in March 2021, Relief entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Acer Therapeutics for the worldwide development and commercialization of ACER-001. ACER-001 is a taste-masked and immediate release proprietary powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) for the treatment of Urea Cycle Disorders and Maple Syrup Urine Disease.