PPS will most likely not displace any of the current treatments for acute inflammation, since acute inflammation only lasts for around a week or so. This is despite the side effects of current treatments, so this announcement is likely not material in that context. However, another way of looking at it is how do these results support the purported mechanism of action of PPS?
Also, PPS was given at day 0 following exposure to the Influenza A virus. This effectively measures its use as a prophylaxis, which is just not realistic in a real-world setting since you will need to take PPS before being exposed to influenza to gain a benefit. It would have been interesting to see what impact PPS had when administered on day 5 and day 8 after infection. On the flip side, this study indicates PPS may have a prophylactic effect for those who use it to treat OA and MPS.
In terms of fibrosis, PAR measures total collagen deposition using H&E staining. When immune cells infiltrate a tissue they cause damage, which causes the tissue to remodel and deposit collagen. Most collagen is cleared from the site over time, except when it becomes fibrotic. I'm not sure how robust this test is to evalute fibrosis, but I do know there are more specific tests they could have performed to evaluate fibrosis. In saying that, reducing immune cell infiltrates into the lung will reduce lung damage and symptoms associated with viral infection, but only if PPS is given as a prophylactic it seems.
Now after my critique you may be wondering if I see any value in today's announcement? The answer is yes, as a treatment for heart disease.
Following a heart attack, immune cells infiltrate into the heart and cause further damage, which eventually leads to fibrosis after a few months or so. So let's say PPS can prevent these immune cell infiltrates from entering the heart. If so, it will slow down and prevent further damage to heart tissue. It can also be given at day 0 since most people are usually seen within 24 hours after suffering from a heart attack. If PPS is shown to achieve this, then it could easily become standard of care for heart attack patients, as long as it doesn't provide too much of a bleeding risk.
If anyone needs further convincing that PPS may one day be used to treat heart disease, you may want to check out the following article and cross reference the biomarkers data announced today.
Title: IRF3 and type I interferons fuel a fatal response to myocardial infarction
https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.4428
My opinions only, not advice, GLTAH
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