Cell Therapy News/Articles, page-3121

Ok. Let's walk through the scenario where the Coronavirus becomes less potent as it mutates. There is a growing theory that this will happen because it is in essence a parasite. A parasite is no good if it kills it's host, so it adapts and becomes less lethal in the next host it jumps to. It takes time for this theory to be proven and applicable across the globe - it's in a lot of countries and progressing at a different pace / path in each country. If that theory were true, let's look at Mesoblast's position relative to it's competitors:

Mesoblast:
- US NIH running large Phase 2/3 ARDS Trial for Remestemcel-L. Trial is well underway, looking to an Interim Analysis readout in early July or thereabouts. Could terminate the trial early due to overwhelming efficacy.
- Ryoncil application before FDA for aGVHD - Advisory Committe Meeting in August.
- Administration of Remestemcel-L in patients with COPD led to them winning the 6 km dash (ok Walk) at the Post COPD Olympiad by a distance of 55m. The protest launched by Big Pharma for illegal Drug Use was dismissed by the FDA on the grounds that it was a Therapy and not a drug that was administered!

So, in short, looking good. Er....and did I mention that Remestemcel-L is looking a short priced favourite to be used for non-Covid-19 ARDS for Influenza? Anywhere between 100,000 to 200,000 suffers annually in the US alone .

Let's not lose sight of the fact that the GOAL is REGULAR ARDS (non-Covid-19). We WILL finish our Trial and EVEN IF/WHEN the virus mutates to the point where it is less potent, ALL THE OTHER TRIALS WILL STOP. They won't have patients. They will need to redesign their trials and focus on regular ARDS, or just refocus on the original purpose of their drugs. We will have a Therapy that has undergone a full comprehensive Trial constructed under the guidance of the FDA. The trial will be completed and ready for evaluation. It's use would have produced many more 6 km Dash / Walk Champions by then and it will become the Gold Standard in Treatment due to it's ability to help with a more comprehensive recovery in patients that minimise costs to health care systems.

Now look at the competition. Well, in terms of Anti-Virals, there may be something that crops up. In terms of Stem Cell Therapy, we are well ahead. Not discounting the competition, but in my opinion, antivirals for ARDS do not deliver the full treatment required (which was kind of the purpose of the well timed presentation at the ISCT Annual Meeting). Plus there are always the side-effects of Anti Virals.....